The 9,000-year-old tomb of a shaman in Saxony-Anhalt has been the source of many mysteries until now. Now a team of experts has made new discoveries. “The Shaman’s Tomb is a key find that provides deep insights into early spirituality and religion and demonstrates the central role women played in prehistoric times,” said state archaeologist Harald Meller, who is coordinating the project.
“Thanks to the detective work of many scientists, we can reconstruct the fate and appearance of a unique woman.” A Journey to Our Archaeological Beginnings,” will be published October 18 by Rowohlt.
Grave was discovered by accident in 1934
The grave in Bad Dürrenberg (Saalekreis) was discovered by accident in 1934 during sewer work. The woman was between 30 and 35 years old. She held a baby in her arms. A headdress made of deer antlers and numerous animal teeth is interpreted as part of a shamanic costume.
Bones found during excavations in 2019
Bones were found during the 2019 excavations, which enabled the identity of the child to be established. “Thanks to the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, we now know it was a boy,” says Meller. “But he was not her son.” The case is an impressive example of what archaeogenetics can do today. “Their founder Svante Pääbo has rightly been awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine,” says the state archaeologist.
Dense old-growth forests
The shaman dates from a time when dense primeval forests covered Europe after the Ice Age. “The living environment, which has changed drastically due to the climate, presented people with enormous challenges,” explains Michel. “The shaman was a spiritual specialist who interacted with the spirits to help people and heal others.” She was so successful that people from far away made pilgrimages to her.
She was buried in an octagonal grave. “This is extraordinary. In general, it is the richest tomb of its time,” says the state archaeologist. “We can show that it was visited centuries later.”
Source: Krone
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