Quedlinburg Archaeology Reveals Disturbing Historical Burial Practices

Quedlinburg Discovers Rare Wooden Coffin Burial

Archaeologists have unearthed a rare body burial in a wooden coffin at the former gallows hill in Quedlinburg, Landkreis Harz. "This comparatively dignified burial at an execution site suggests a possible suicide rather than an execution," stated archaeologist Marita Genesis from the State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology Halle. The skeleton, lying on its back with hands folded over the abdomen, was well-preserved. Additionally, the deceased may have been buried with a rosary, as fragments of amber beads suggest. During this period, individuals opting for suicide could not be interred in a regular cemetery.

Fear of Revenants in Burial Practices

In another finding, a man was interred lying on his back at the execution site, with large stones placed on his chest, possibly indicative of a so-called 'revenant grave.' It was believed that the body would return, prompting the need for restraint in the grave. This execution area was routinely cleared by the executioner and his assistants, as evidenced by archaeological findings. In bone pits, skeletal remains of hanged or decapitated individuals were found haphazardly stacked in several layers.

• Alongside human remains, clothing remnants such as buttons and buckles, as well as ceramic fragments, were discovered.
• These findings indicate not all convicted individuals were executed in a shroud, as some were likely led to the execution site in their everyday clothes.

Impact of Archaeological Findings on Legal History

The study of legal history remains predominantly reliant on written sources in larger cities. The archaeological documentation of execution sites, many of which likely remain untouched in the ground, significantly alters the perception of judicial executions. "Particularly the actual methods of execution and data on age and gender differentiation reveal an entirely new picture of judicial executions at medieval and early modern sites," Genesis remarked. Historically, the gallows at the former gallows hill has been documented since 1662 and was repeatedly renewed. The gallows structure could range from four to seven meters long, allowing multiple convicts to be hanged simultaneously, with public executions continuing in Quedlinburg until 1809.