Discovering of the remnants of 130 homes that were built at the time of this early bronze age gave an impression that it could have been a year-round community. Aside from having connections to religious activities, it was tied to activities of a community as well.
More than it seems
This ancient structure can be found in the the village of Pömmelte, which is only 85 miles from Berlin, Germany's capital City. Locals and scholars call it the Ringheiligtum Pömmelte, that is the German translation from the 'Ring Sanctuary of Pömmelte, reported the Daily Mail.
It is composed of seven fence rings, ditches, and raised banks that once held wooden posts. The structure has been related to Wiltshire's Stonehenge.
A team of researchers from the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg uncovered a residential area, encircling the ancient during the latest excavations of the site, cited Daily Advent.
One impression is the German Stonehenge was only used for rituals during the bronze age, and no one imagined it was more than a religious center. Seeing that it might have been more than a place of rituals and having indications that a community lived in the Ring Sanctuary of Pömmelte, it has opened up questions on similar circular stone formations like in England is actually similar.
The Ring Sanctuary of Pömmelte was first seen in 1991 when the plane spotted the telltale structures that were dated before the third Millenium BCE or before common era. BCE was a precursor to the introduction of Christianity, a ring used to observe the heavens and pagan practices of human sacrifice, remarked archeologists, as per Today UK News.
German Stonehenge Aerial Photography
Aerial photography is the tool used by scientists to discern where the hidden German Stonehenge lay. It yielded evidence of wooden poles that were on the structures but rotted by time.
Found in digs before was evidence of children and women who were brutalized and ripped apart which included cracked skulls and broken ribs on the site. This was part of the pagan rituals that were done before the victims died.
Researchers found that they remained 'in situ,' and their injuries were either the cause of death or the extremely close point of death.
Yes, the evidence of ritualistic killings was seen on site but not a proof of year-round residence. It has yet to be uncovered by the researchers.
Other details
Ringheiligtum Pömmelte was considered to have been a primarily seasonal ceremonial complex, used at specific times of the year or for purely ceremonial events, such as funerary rites.
On May 2021, the change in how Stonehenge was determined came to a new development via several discoveries. This included homes and graves close to the evidence of dwellings that were found, signifying it used to be a permanent home.
Within the areas surrounding the ancient structure, they unearthed 130 buildings with 80 complete house layouts, spanning from various periods in the ring's history.
They found 130 dwellings with 80 complete house plans within the ground surrounding the ancient monument, dating from different periods.
Clues point to the earliest period of the monument's construction and were part of the Bell Beaker culture that existed in 2800 BCE. They might be the original builders of the ancient complex. Some of the homes were thought to be the Unetic period or 2200 BCE, said the team studying on the newest dig.
They are continuing to excavate the site until October in the hope of uncovering more about the social and religious environment of the Unetic culture that is connected to the German Stonehenge.
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