Goseck Circle
Goseck Sonnenobservatorium · Sonnenobservatorium Goseck
Early Neolithic·Stichbandkeramik / Stroke-Ornamented ware·🇩🇪 Saxony-Anhalt, Burgenlandkreis, Germany
About
About Goseck Circle
Early Neolithic circular enclosure (Ringheiligtum) at Goseck, 75 m diameter ditch with two concentric palisade rings of 1675 oak posts forming gates aligned to winter solstice sunrise and sunset; oldest known solar observatory in Europe, dated to c.4900 BCE (Stichbandkeramik). Accompanied by moat and inner palisades. Reconstructed timber palisade and ditch visible after excavation 2002-04 by Bertemes. Part of Goseck-Weißenfels Neolithic landscape near Nebra Sky Disk find.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why deliberate destruction by fire after 300 years
Theories
- 01Ritual closure ending calendar cycle
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 4900 BCE (dendrochronology c.4900–4600)
- Period
- Early Neolithic
- Culture
- Stichbandkeramik / Stroke-Ornamented ware
- Purpose
- Solar calendar and ceremonial gathering enclosure
- Abandoned
- c.4600 BCE (deliberately burned)
- Rediscovered
- Aerial photo 1991; aerial and geomagnetic survey 1999; excavation 2002-04
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 4900 BCE (dendrochronology c.4900–4600)
Initial construction
c. 1324 CE
Rediscovery
On the ground
Structures & features
51.2002° N · 11.8585° E · 150 m · 2 mapped features
Northwest Gate (Winter Solstice Sunset)
gateTimber gateway aligned to winter solstice sunset
51.2003° N · 11.8582° ESoutheast Gate (Winter Solstice Sunrise)
gateOpposite gateway marking winter sunrise
51.2001° N · 11.8588° E
Gallery