Early Iron Age settlement ruins near Senftenberg, Brandenburg, Germany.
The Burgwall von Senftenberg was an early Iron Age settlement located in Senftenberg, Brandenburg, Germany. Excavated in the 1930s, it revealed artifacts from the Billendorf culture. The site was eventually destroyed by lignite mining. It featured a wooden and earth fortification and housed approximately 650 inhabitants.
The Burgwall von Senftenberg was an early Iron Age settlement located in the present-day city of Senftenberg, in the district of Oberspreewald-Lausitz, Brandenburg, Germany. Situated in the lowlands of the Schwarze Elster and Sornoer Elster rivers, the site was known as "Altes Schloss" before archaeological excavations began. It was believed to be a robber baron's nest or a site haunted by the "Mittagsfrau." Initial investigations by Ernst Friedel in 1887 revealed that the site predated Slavic settlement, with artifacts showing pre-Slavic designs. The site was threatened by the expansion of the Sedlitz lignite mine in 1927, prompting excavations led by Alfred Götze in 1931 and 1932. These excavations uncovered over 1,000 wooden posts, pottery, and a bronze mold, attributed to the Billendorf culture. The settlement was circular, with a diameter of 150 meters, and housed approximately 650 people. It featured a wooden and earth wall for protection against floods and attacks. The community engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry, pottery, and bronze work. After a major fire, the site was rebuilt with a simplified gate structure. The settlement was eventually abandoned, with no subsequent Slavic resettlement. The site was devastated by mining activities in 1932.
