On the site of what will eventually be an Intel chip production facility in Germany, a body of a 1,300-year-old man was discovered.
Excavation site Germany. Excavators digging on an archeological excavation on the site of a planned new Intel chip factory near Magdeburg, Germany Ronny Hartmann/Getty
The find was made as a result of excavation operations that uncovered 50 building floor plans from a 3,500–4,500 year old community on the site, which is close to the city of Magdeburg.
According to Susanne Friederich, project manager and archaeologist at the Halle State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology, "the dead man was 1.65 meters long [5 feet, 5 inches] and quite tall for the time. The man wore a knife on his right thigh. The metal tip of a sword scabbard, a belt buckle and the remains of a bronze brooch that held the man's garment together have also been preserved."
The fact that there were weapons in the burial indicates that the deceased was most likely a warrior.
The body is thought to have come from the Dark Ages, also known as the Migration Period, which spanned from 500 to 1000 A.D. In order to flee the Huns' invasion from Central Asia, Germanic tribes moved throughout Europe during this time.
The settlement's homes are likewise unusual. The walls' elongated oval shape, according to Friedrich, is what makes them unique.
Although this kind of home has been documented throughout Northern Germany and Scandinavia, it is unusual to find one in Magdeburg.
The majority of the homes are 33 feet long and 13 feet broad, but one substantial one is 49 feet long and 16 feet wide. The location also has a pit house, a structure made from an underground pit with a roof over it that was probably used for crafting.
The Bronze Age, which lasted from 2500 to 800 B.C., is supposed to have left behind some of these homes.
As they continue to investigate the site, the archaeologists anticipate discovering more burials and indications of the settlement. On an area of about 300 hectares, there may be 100 to 200 homes by the end of the year, according to Friedrich.
However, because to the timeline for the construction of Intel plants, the team does not have much time to finish their excavations. The business intends to begin building its two new semiconductor facilities in 2024, giving the archaeologists till the end of the year to conclude their research.
"Then there will be nothing standing in the way of the Intel settlement," Friedrich mentioned.
