Neolithic adolescent unearthed in Bavaria with unusual twisted burial posture
Archaeologists in Großköllnbach, Lower Bavaria, have recovered a 7,000-year-old skeleton whose body was found in a distinctive twisted position, prompting questions about burial customs of the Linear Pottery culture.
A recent dig in the village of Großköllnbach, within the Dingolfing-Landau district of Lower Bavaria, uncovered a Neolithic skeleton dating to roughly 7,000 years ago. The adolescent’s burial deviates from the typical crouched graves of the Linear Pottery culture, with a sharply bent right leg, an outward-angled left leg, and a twisted torso, while the cervical vertebrae appear deformed. Archaeologists suggest the uneven, sloping pit may have caused the body to shift after interment, though intentional placement cannot be ruled out.
The excavation also revealed an extensive settlement pattern, including three longhouse foundations, several hearths, domed clay ovens insulated with pebbles, and grinding slabs possibly sourced from beyond the Danube or Bavarian Forest. The skeleton has been removed for detailed anthropological analysis by the district archaeology department, which will later publish further findings. This discovery adds new insight into early Central European farming societies and their burial practices.
