At the edge of the sea - the prehistoric bank enclosures of Duhnen (city of Cuxhaven)

Cuxhaven-Duhnen地区位于易北-威瑟三角的尖端，其特点是史前遗迹的集中，这些遗迹最近才成为激光雷达数据分析后的研究重点。兴趣的中心是两个围墙，周围是几个坟墓。其中一个直径约为。此前对45米进行过考古调查，可以追溯到青铜时代。激光雷达数据表明，这个围墙切割了第二个弧形围墙，后者部分被海岸侵蚀破坏。因此，一个更古老的日期，至少青铜时代或甚至新石器时代可以假设。考虑到对称的过程，弯曲的墙包围了超过10公顷的面积。它直接位于陆-海交界，可以全年观测海平面上的日出和日落。地磁勘探显示，在旧圈闭的内部区域有许多小规模的异常。在对其中一个异常物进行的深度挖掘中，发现了一个烹饪坑，这个坑的碳含量为14c，可以追溯到青铜时代末期或铁器时代早期。试掘和物探结果表明，围场内还存在烹煮石坑。北方青铜器时代和早期铁器时代的许多地方都发现了烹饪坑的集中，通常被解释为邪教活动的指标。总之，目前的知识表明，在杜南发现的结构和发现是一个独特的仪式景观的遗迹，在新石器时代、青铜时代和铁器时代初期的太阳崇拜中发挥了重要作用。在此背景下，本项目旨在通过考古学、土壤学和植物学调查的跨学科方法，获得关于这一独特遗址的起源、结构和年代的新信息。方法的多样性将为验证当前对这一仪式景观的解释提供广泛的基础，并为未来对社会和文化条件重建的研究评估杜南地区的潜力，特别是对公元前3世纪末至公元前1世纪中叶北海沿海地区的精神观念的研究。

The district of Cuxhaven-Duhnen at tip of the Elbe-Weser triangle is characterized by a concentration of prehistoric relics which have only recently come into focus of research following the analysis of LIDAR data. At the center of interest are two enclosures, which are surrounded by several grave mounds. One of these enclosures with a diameter of approx. 45 m has previously been archaeologically surveyed and dates to the Bronze Age. The LIDAR data indicate that this enclosure cuts a second, curved enclosure that was partly destroyed by coastal erosion. Therefore an older date, at least Bronze Age or even Neolithic can be assumed. Given a symmetrical course, the curved wall encompassed an area of more than 10 ha. It has directly been positioned at the land-sea-transition and enabled the observation of sunrise and sunset at the sea horizon all year round. Geomagnetic prospections showed numerous small-scale anomalies in the inner area of the older enclosure. A sondage excavation of one anomaly revealed a cooking pit, which has been 14C-dated to the end of the Bronze Age or the beginning of the early Iron Age. The test excavation and the geophysical prospection suggest that additional cooking stone pits can be found in the enclosure. Concentrations of cooking pits are known from numerous places of the Northern Bronze Age and early Iron Age and are usually interpreted as indicators of cultic practices. In summary, the current knowledge suggests that the structures and findings discovered in Duhnen are the remains of a unique ritual landscape that played an important role in the (sun-) cult between the Neolithic, Bronze Age and the beginning of Iron Age times. Against this backdrop, this project aims to gain new information on the genesis, structure and dating of this unique site with the application of an interdisciplinary methodological approach of archaeological, pedological and botanical investigations. The methodological variety will provide a broad basis to validate the current interpretation of this ritual landscape and to assess the potential of the Duhnen area for future research on the reconstruction of social and cultural conditions, especially of the spiritual ideas in the North Sea coastal area between the end of the 3rd and the middle of the 1st century BC.