1,500 years of settlement history unearthed near Griebo in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

The Saxony-Anhalt State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology, in cooperation with the gas network operator ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH (ONTRAS), has been carrying out archaeological excavations in the run-up to the FGL 61 long-distance gas pipeline to be upgraded in approximately one year. The FGL 61 crosses more than 30 archaeological sites between Neugattersleben and Wittenberg (approx. 50 km). These include settlements and burial sites from the Neolithic Age (5,500-2,300 BC) to the Early Middle Ages (8th-11th century AD).

Archaeologists working on the area near Griebo [Credit: State Office for Monument Preservation
and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt, Imke Westhausen]

Near Griebo, a town in Coswig (Wittenberg district), the archaeologists were able to identify a multi-phase settlement site on the eastern bank of the Zieko stream with a history of almost 1500 years. The diverse findings and the extensive findings suggest a settlement period that began in the Iron Age around 450 BC and ended in the Early Middle Ages - in the 9th century AD.

Presumed blacksmith's pits which served as production sites for tools, jewellery and weapons
[Credit: State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt,
Imke Westhausen]

More than 1200 finds, including settlement pits, hearths and fireplaces came to light in the 10 metre wide corridor. Numerous post pits show house locations from different settlement phases. A number of exceptional findings prove that this was not a simple settlement. Pits lying close together, which served as hearth, forge and production pits, bear witness to the workshop character of the site.

Finds from the settlement of Griebo. Below, a children's armring decorated with circular eyes and made of bronze from
 the Roman Empire (central), further bronze costume jewellery (centre right), a spinning whorl (below centre-right),
next to it decorated ceramic shards as well as small tools made of bone, bronze and iron
[Credit: State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt,
Imke Westhausen]

For several centuries the smelting and processing of iron for the production of tools, weapons and jewellery had taken place here. The iron ore required for this was presumably mined in the floodplain of the Zieko stream. Another finding from the Late Iron Age can be interpreted as a lime kiln. The lime required for this was probably also found in the area of the floodplain. In addition, evidence of textile production has also been discovered.

Remains of a large Iron Age storage vessel [Credit: State Office for Monument Preservation
and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt, Imke Westhausen]

The settlement activity ended abruptly with a catastrophic fire in the 9th century AD. This "Pompeii effect" made it impossible for the inhabitants to take everything that was still useful and portable with them, leaving behind all their belongings. The evidence shows the traces of the fire in the form of charred remains of wood. For example, the remains of the wooden house construction in a pit house from the Slavic period have survived to this day.

Source: Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt [April 30, 2019]