In Eichendorf in Lower Bavaria (Dingolfing-Landau district), archaeologists have discovered an approximately 6,800-year-old skeleton with numerous grave goods. The type of burial and grave goods indicate that it was a person with a prominent position, said district archaeologist Florian Eibl. “Kind of an early mayor.”
The grave in the Exing district, after which the skeleton is called “Exinger”, was discovered during an investigation before construction work. On the one hand, what is special about it is that it is actually a body grave, as Eibl explained, because there are only a few from this period. The majority of the population was buried differently back then. In addition, the grave goods indicated a special position of the person – and that it was probably a man of no longer young age.
The person buried first had to earn the status that the grave bears witness to. It was not inherited during this time. The skeleton itself has not yet been examined closely enough to provide any clues as to age and gender. The grave goods include a bag decorated with two halves of a boar’s tooth, which probably contained a blade and utensils for making fire.
The boar’s tooth should be seen as a kind of status symbol, explained Eibl. Hunting animals was very dangerous with the weapons of the time. The archaeologists found several vessels around the head of the skeleton, which was buried in a crouching position. They have not yet been examined in more detail, but it is hoped that traces of the original contents will still be found.
A drinking vessel was found in front of the skeleton’s face – possibly the Exinger’s personal cup – and stone blades in front of and behind the body. The blade behind the back is particularly unusual, said Eibl. But it was so far away that it was clear that it was not in the body of the person buried, he clarified.
The archaeologists also found a bowl above the skeleton that probably contained graphite, which was used as a dye at the time. Eibl suspects that it could have been used in the burial rite. Ultimately, he says, the graves and grave goods reveal more about the culture of those buried than about the person buried.