About 1.3 km east of Bonefeld, on the slightly sloping western slope of the Steinkopf, lies a burial mound field of the Early Iron Age (6th-3rd century BC). In terms of cultural archaeology, it belongs to the so-called Hunsrück-Eifel culture, whose bearers are the early Celts. Most of the burial mounds have been flattened and their original shape altered by forestry operations and the dumps of basalt extraction at Steinkopf. Eleven mounds are still visible in the terrain today. They have a diameter of between 7 - 13 m and a height of up to 1.5 m. To the west of the mound field runs a hollow way, which was probably already used in prehistoric times. Of particular note is the central mound 1, now restored, which was already archaeologically investigated in 1919. A stone circle of basalt boulders ran around the base of the mound. In the centre of the mound was the burial pit. No traces of the skeleton remained. A bronze needle, a small stone implement and a pottery sherd were recovered from the burial pit. The grave pit was surrounded by a small grave and four postholes. Above it, a mighty post pit with wedge stones stood out in profile. In the middle of the mound a wooden post had been erected to mark the burial place and probably also for cultic-religious motives. It was probably a wooden grave stele crowning the mound. On the basis of comparable stone statues from early Celtic times still preserved today, it was reconstructed as a figurative sculpture with leaves sitting on the side of the head, the so-called crown of leaves. Sponsored by the Rhine-Westerwald Nature Park and the State of Rhineland-Palatinate
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About 1.3 km east of Bonefeld, on the slightly sloping western slope of the Steinkopf, lies a burial mound field of the Early Iron Age (6th-3rd century BC). In terms of cultural archaeology, it belongs to the so-called Hunsrück-Eifel culture, whose bearers are the early Celts. Most of the burial mounds have been flattened and their original shape altered by forestry operations and the dumps of basalt extraction at Steinkopf. Eleven mounds are still visible in the terrain today. They have a diameter of between 7 - 13 m and a height of up to 1.5 m. To the west of the mound field runs a hollow way, which was probably already used in prehistoric times. Of particular note is the central mound 1, now restored, which was already archaeologically investigated in 1919. A stone circle of basalt boulders ran around the base of the mound. In the centre of the mound was the burial pit. No traces of the skeleton remained. A bronze needle, a small stone implement and a pottery sherd were recovered from the burial pit. The grave pit was surrounded by a small grave and four postholes. Above it, a mighty post pit with wedge stones stood out in profile. In the middle of the mound a wooden post had been erected to mark the burial place and probably also for cultic-religious motives. It was probably a wooden grave stele crowning the mound. On the basis of comparable stone statues from early Celtic times still preserved today, it was reconstructed as a figurative sculpture with leaves sitting on the side of the head, the so-called crown of leaves. Sponsored by the Rhine-Westerwald Nature Park and the State of Rhineland-Palatinate
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
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