Bronze Age “Zombie Grave” Uncovered in Germany

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Representative Image

A “zombie grave” dating from the Bronze Age was discovered during the ongoing construction of an underground power line in Germany.

The strange grave recently found near the village of Oppin in the Saxony-Anhalt region of East Germany caused great excitement among archaeologists and historians.

The grave, which was discovered during the construction of a long-distance underground power line called SuedOstLink, was dated to approximately 4200 years ago as a result of the analysis. The way the skeleton found in the grave was buried caused the grave to be described as a “zombie grave” in the media.

Researchers, who carried out the excavations meticulously, determined that the person in the grave was buried with a large stone on top of him so that he would not resurrect and harm the living.

The stone is approximately 10cm (4 inches) thick, 50cm (20 inches) wide and 100cm (40 inches) long. Researchers said that the purpose of this practice was to prevent the deceased from coming out of the grave and harming people.

Uwe Moos, the excavation manager who uncovered the grave, stated that the deceased was an adult male and was probably between 40 and 60 years old. According to Moos, this person might have been disliked and ostracized by society, or had a serious illness.

Zombie grave
Position of skeleton and stone in the grave.
Image Credit: LDA Saxony-Anhalt, Anja Lochner-Rechta

The Grave Reflects the Superstitions of Bronze Age Europeans

Archaeologists point out that these “zombie graves” offer a significant opportunity to understand the deep-rootedness of such phenomena in Bronze Age mythology. This discovery indicates that the legends were known in the region that is now East Germany as early as the third millennium BC, indicating that such beliefs existed even in prehistoric times.

Roman Tomb Unearthed in Sagalassos Indicates People Used Magic to Protect from the Restless Dead

It is known that even in the Stone Age, people were afraid of spirits wandering after death. The theme of resurrection or zombies was frequently seen, especially in Celtic and Scandinavian mythologies. The Romans were also afraid of the resurrection of the dead and tried to prevent this by placing stones in the mouths of the dead. In fact, it has been observed that in some such “zombie graves” the corpse was placed face down and holes were even pierced into the abdomen with a spear.

Research Will Continue

It is planned that archaeological research in the region will continue until 2025. The remains of the skeleton will be transferred to a laboratory in Halle and subjected to more detailed analysis.