Archaeologists in Delbrück-Bentfeld, Germany, have completed an excavation, discovering a Roman-era settlement and a well-preserved cemetery. The works, which began in November 2024, revealed approximately 400 archaeological elements, including residential pits, wells, and farm buildings. These findings shed light on life in the region between the 2nd and 5th centuries.
The most interesting find was a Roman cremation burial with carbonized human remains, charcoal, and grave goods: a spearhead, fibulae, a bone comb, a flint, and a buckle depicting an animal head. Scientists believe that the deceased may have been a Germanic mercenary in the Roman army.
Among other finds — a wooden well dating back to the Great Migration period, built from three hollowed-out tree trunks. There were runo-like inscriptions on one of the beams, and inside, a carbonaceous layer with charred bones and glass beads, which may indicate ritual or funerary use.
These finds are complemented by rare organic materials – a fragment of skin and an insect wing, which are valuable for studying living conditions in the past. Scientists are planning dendrochronological and radiocarbon analyses, as well as further research, to more accurately reconstruct the living conditions in this region 1600 years ago.