The Mesolithic burial site of Groß-Fredenwalde (Brandenburg) - late hunter-gatherers in a changing world

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During the last years Germany`s earliest cemetery could be identified on the Weinberg hill close to Groß Fredenwalde in the Uckermark (c. 80 km NE of Berlin). In 1962 human remains of several individuals were detected on top of the hill. In the 1990s first AMS-dates assigned the human skeletons to the Mesolithic. Since 2012 new grave goods and human remains could be found during re-excavation of the pit of 1962. Most important was the identification of new burials close to the former multiple burial. A small child burial and the burial of a young man can be mentioned. The burial of the man had been located in a child burial, which was almost completely destroyed. The young man was probably buried in upright position and the grave was only sealed by a fire place after decomposition of the body. This unusual treatment of the dead finds a possible parallel at the Mesolithic site of Olenij Ostrov (Russia), while a slotted dagger found in association with the multiple burial finds its next parallel in southern Scandinavia. Altogether four or five burials with nine individuals were detected on the Weinberg. However, a minimum of two pits were observed during re-excavation, which very probably indicate further Mesolithic burials. AMS-dates assign the burials to the period from 6.400 to 4.900 calBC with a gap during the 6th millennium calBC. In conclusion the burials date before and after the advent of the first Linearband pottery farmers in the Uckermark (ca.5300 calBC). This is excellent for further scientific analysis including palaeogenetic studies. The project aims at the detailed analysis of the burials so far excavated as well as new burials and will contribute to the much better understanding of the way of live and contacts of late hunter-gatherers before and after neolthisation of Northeast Germany.