110512

Heiligkreuztal, Gde. Altheim, Kr. Biberach, RB Tuebingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, (D).

Hohmichele, grave VI.

The Hohmichele measures almost 80 m in diameter and 14 m in height. More than half of the tumulus was excavated in 1937-38. Grave VI was a secondary grave about 12 m SE of the central grave and 2.15 m above ground level (fig. 1). The internal measurements of the grave chamber were 2.96-3.06 m x 2.42-2.50 m with a height of 1.05-1.07 m. Most of the floor of the chamber was covered with cattle skin.

The chamber contained two inhumations both orientated SE-NW. The male had two bronze fibulae, a bronze belt sheet, an iron neck-ring, a large iron knife, a leather quiver containing 51 iron arrowheads and an organic bow of which only the bow-string survived. The female burial - lying on the wagon-box - had numerous beads and a single bronze fibula.

Most of the chamber was taken up by the wagon with some exceptionally well preserved wooden parts.

Behind the wagon was a large bronze cauldron containing a bronze vase. Between the two rear wheels a flat bronze dish was deposited not far away from a collection of amulets. The W corner was occupied by a willow wickerwork basket. Close to the nave of wheel 4 a small perforated whetstone was found and a little to the NW of this was a smooth stone disc, similar to that in the central grave.

1937-38.

Fittings of a four-wheeled wagon (type 5/6): four iron tyres (type VII) with iron tyre nails (type D, E or F), iron fellow-clamp; four naves of elm wood, with bronze and iron fittings ("Hohmichele VI/Uttendorf 2" type) (fig. 3-4), one of the nave-head rings with 11 engraved lines, all nave-stock rings with inlaid bronze decoration; four wheels of oak wood with 10 spokes each; four iron linchpins with semilunate heads (fig. 2, 1-3); looped iron kingpin; from the wagon-box (type iv): two bronze half-cylinders (fig. 2, 6-7), two bronze disc-headed sockets (fig. 2, 4-5) and possibly other iron rings and fittings (fig. 8).

Horse-gear: two iron horse bits (fig. 9, 29-30); eight bronze cheek-piece terminals each with an iron ring (fig. 12 bottom); 35 bronze rein-knobs and ornaments (fig. 9, 37-42; 10; 11, 66-89); two heavy bronze three-looped rings (fig. 9, 31-32); two bronze looped disc-ended hooks (fig. 11, 90-91); six looped bronze rings (fig. 11, 94-99); 20 perforated conical bronze sheet rings (fig. 12 top); 16 bronze rings (fig. 12 middle).

Weapons: leather quiver decorated with bronze bosses (fig. 15, 160); 51 iron arrow heads (fig. 5-6; 15, 161-211); bow string of an organic bow.

Precious vessels: bronze cauldron with iron ring-attachments (fig. 7; 13, 146); bronze cup (fig. 13, 144); bronze dish, flat, rim with point-boss decoration ("Hohmichele" type) (fig. 13, 145).

Iron neck-ring (fig. 14, 147); bronze belt sheet (fig. 14, 159); three bronze serpentine fibulae (fig. 14, 148-150;16, 241); numerous amber and glass beads (fig. 16, 242); amulets: four boar tusks in bronze settings (fig. 16, 234-237); a pair of long animal incisors bound together by a strip of bronze sheet (fig. 16, 238), bronze barrel-shaped pendant (fig. 16, 239); piece of coral (fig. 16, 226); piece of iron ore (fig. 16, 220); oblong piece of glass flux (fig. 16, 221); iron knife (fig. 14, 157-158); perforated whetstone (fig. 14, 151); smooth stone disc; willow wickerwork basket.

Ha D1.

The Hohmichele is one of the largest tumuli in Central Europe, situated 2.1 km W of the Heuneburg, among about 21 smaller tumuli. Just to the N is another group of nine tumuli and ca. 700 m to the W are four more tumuli (including the tumulus "im Wald Speckhau", cf. no.110500).

Wuerttembergisches Landesmuseum Stuttgart (D).

Riek / Hundt 1962.

Pare 1992, 242-244.