A remarkable archaeological discovery has been made in Hammar, Skåne, southern Sweden, where a unique prehistoric ceremonial site dating back to the Neolithic period, also known as the ‘peasant stone age,’ has been unearthed. This site, believed to be used for ritual gatherings, contains objects dating between 5,500 and 5,000 years ago. These artifacts were found near a causewayed enclosure, a type of large prehistoric earthwork, and were sacrificed near a wetland.

The site is notable for its well-preserved Funnelbeaker ceramic vessels, large quantities of flint tools, and bone and horn tools, all meticulously crafted. The causewayed enclosure, situated at the edge of an ancient wetland, features rows of elongated wetlands laid out in semicircles, with an overall diameter of 165 feet (50.2 meters). This structure is similar to other known sites outside Sweden, particularly one in Sarup, Denmark.

Among the fascinating finds are an antler billet for knapping flint, a fishing hook, and a leatherworking stylus, highlighting the site’s rarity. The animal bone material found, composed of slaughter and food waste, was deliberately fractured to access the marrow. Numerous flint scrapers indicate that leather preparation was a common activity at the site.

In several places along the wetland edge, whole ceramic vessels of the Funnelbeaker type were placed on stones, and the skull of a dog was also discovered, suggesting the area was used for both everyday activities and as a sacrificial site. The preservation of organic material, such as bone, adds to the site’s uniqueness.

The archaeology team, led by Magnus Artursson from Arkeologerna (The Archaeologists), National Historical Museums, is seeking funding from the National Antiquities Office to continue their investigation. The site likely served as a local gathering place for crafts, rituals, and social events. Traces of a wooden structure extending into the wetland suggest it may have been a footpath or jetty.

The Funnelbeaker culture (4300-2800 BC), named after its distinctive ceramics with funnel-shaped tops, represents one of the earliest farming societies in Central and Northern Europe. This culture marked the transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agrarian communities. The people practiced mixed farming, cultivated wheat and barley, domesticated various animals, and continued hunting, fishing, and foraging.

Renowned for its unusual burial practices, the Funnelbeaker culture constructed megalithic tombs and monuments, including dolmens and passage graves, which served as centers of ritual significance and ceremony.

#Archaeology
#Neolithic
#Funnelbeaker
#AncientHistory
#Sweden
#Prehistoric
#CeremonialSite
#Rituals
#HistoricalDiscovery
#AncientArtifacts
#StoneAge
#ArchaeologicalFind
#CulturalHeritage
#AncientCultures
#HistoricalPreservation