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

• Applicant: Dr. Moritz Mennenga
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: from 2018 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 398053965

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.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants