Archaeologists in Bavaria have uncovered what appears to be the foundation of a monumental Roman burial mound, a discovery that has astonished experts and shed new light on the Roman presence in southern Germany’s ancient province of Raetia.
The Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation (Bayerisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege, BLfD) announced that the remains, unearthed near Wolkertshofen in the district of Eichstätt, likely represent the base of a Roman tumulus — a large circular stone structure used as a burial monument. What makes this find remarkable is its rarity in Raetia, where such elaborate Roman grave monuments are almost unheard of.
A Remarkable Stone Circle WIth a Hidden Story
The excavation revealed a meticulously constructed stone ring, about twelve meters in diameter, situated directly beside an ancient Roman road. Attached to the southern side is a square annex, two by two meters in size, which may have served as the foundation for a stele or statue. Despite its monumental appearance, the interior of the structure was completely empty.
“Discovering a burial monument of this scale and period here was entirely unexpected,” said Prof. Mathias Pfeil, General Conservator of the BLfD. “The tumulus stood along an important Roman transport route. The family erected it as a highly visible memorial — both a place of remembrance and a symbol of social status.”
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