Archaeologists discover Neolithic settlements in front of the B169 construction near Oschatz!

Archaeologists discover Neolithic settlements in front of the B169 construction near Oschatz!

The construction project for the new B169 between Seerhausen and Salbitz has brought archaeologists to the scene. The building site has been intensively examined since the summer of 2024, and the finds are more than promising. As the lvz.de According to reports, excavation manager Matthias Conrad from the State Office of Archeology has already discovered signs of 15 new settlements. The Jahnatal, where the excavations are taking place, was inhabited for a long time. The oldest finds date back to 5500 BC. Chr.!

An exciting discovery in Salbitz are huge settlement pits that were once used for building materials and storage. These pits are often backfilled, which makes them visible as discoloration in the soil. The area being examined covers at least a fifth of the construction site, with the archaeologists creating search sections four meters wide. In order to properly record the finds, the archaeologists work closely with the State Office for Road Construction and Transport (Lasuv) to determine which findings will be examined in more detail.

In-depth research and long-term plans

The excavation project is expected to last until 2027. In the northern section, which has already been explored, in-depth archaeological investigations are scheduled to begin in late summer. This will also be necessary for the southern section, which will be tackled after the first section is completed.

Enlightening discoveries were not only made in the Jahnatal. Grave pits with dead people in a squatting position and side vessels were also found in the area. These burials date from the Early Bronze Age. The oldest known cemetery in Saxony shows that a settlement was built on this site again around 1000 years later, during the Young Bronze Age. A detailed study of the site was published in an article by archaeologie.sachsen.de documented, which also describes how burial pits were integrated into the settlement structures.

Public tours and the way forward

The interested public can take a look at the work of the archaeologists. A public tour took place on Thursday, May 26, 2016, which was very well received. The meeting point was the southern exit of Wadewitz. Over the coming months, the areas will be gradually opened up for construction as the archaeological work progresses.

These excavations are not only important for archeology spiegel.de reported, but also for the preservation of the cultural heritage in Saxony. The findings from these excavations will certainly keep us busy for a long time and will expand our understanding of the way people lived in the Neolithic period.