Am Tag der Sommersonnenwende 2016 ging ein neuer Stern auf: Mit der feierlichen Eröffnung des Ringheiligtums Pömmelte erhielt die archäologische Tourismusroute „Himmelswege“ in Sachsen Anhalt ihre fünfte Station.
Die Freigabe übernahmen Ministerpräsident Dr. Reiner Haseloff, Professor Dr. Harald Meller, Direktor des Landesamtes für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie, Dr. Gunnar Schellenberger, Kulturstaatssekretär, sowie Landrat Markus Bauer.
Das Ringheiligtum Pömmelte
The Poemmelte Ring Sanctuary
The Poemmelte Ring Sanctuary is a reconstructed circular earthwork of Neolithic times and the early Bronze Age. Rituals had been performed here over a time span of several centuries. Archaeological excavations revealed extraordinary findings. Grind stones, axes, pottery, arrow heads, and even human remains such as skulls give evidence of ceremonious sacrifices and burials. The State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt and the Salzlandkreis, in collaboration, have reconstructed this henge monument on its original location. Since 2015, this site carries the name the Poemmelte Ring Sanctuary.
Archaeological research showed that many generations of the prehistoric inhabitants used this site of ritual to cultivate their customs and practices here, and to pass them down to their descendants. Woodhenge Pömmelte mirrors these traditions, thus becoming an extraordinary attraction. A visit to the Woodhenge offers a time travel and an encounter with the world of our ancestors.
Standing on the observation deck at a height of nine meters, visitors will have a perfect overview of the area. Seven rings of wooden palisades, pits and embankments form the area with a diameter of 115 meters. Thus, Woodhenge Pömmelte ist comparable to other monuments, such as the world-famous Stonehenge in the South of England.
The excavation findings can be seen in a permanent exhibition in the Salzlandmuseum in Schönebeck (Bad Salzelmen). A multimedia presentation shows the background and details of prehistoric times.