Lohra Megalithic Tomb

The Lohra tomb was a megalithic monument outside Lohra near Marburg in north central Hesse, Germany [1]. It is one of the lesser known among its type in Central Europe [1]. It dates to the Late Neolithic, probably just after 3000 BC [1]. It belongs to the gallery graves of the Wartberg culture, but is unique among them because of its rich ceramic assemblage [1]. The tomb was discovered accidentally in 1931 by the farmer Jakob Elmshäuser who encountered an obstacle when ploughing a field [1]. The tomb consisted of a large main chamber and a small open antechamber [1]. In contrast to the finds from the well-known tombs at Züschen or Altendorf, the dead at Lohra had been cremated [1]. 20 vessels that had been placed on the chamber floor and later covered in human ashes were almost fully preserved [1].