These earthen rings, up to 350 feet in diameter, were studded with wooden stakes and had several entrances through which people could enter.
Chancellery of the State Government of Burgenland/Nikolaus FranzOnce “virtually invisible” to the naked eye, earth circles have now been discovered in Austria.
In the latest excavations, archaeologists have discovered “four monumental earthworks” at a site outside Rechnitz. Three of them have been identified as kreisgrabenalagen, or circular ditches, which archaeologists believe were built between 4850 and 4500 BCE during the Middle Neolithic period.
Moreover, these earthen circles are huge, with a diameter of about 100 meters. According to archaeologists, the size of the circles indicates the special significance of this place for ancient people during the Middle Neolithic period.
“With three monumental structures dating from the 5th millennium BC located in close proximity to each other, the settlement of Rechnitz can be considered a supra-regional centre of the Middle Neolithic period,” said Nikolaus Franz, director of Burgenland Archaeology.
Burgenland State Government Office/Nikolaus Franz. Map of the excavation site. Earth circles and other Neolithic evidence found at the excavation site hint at how early humans moved from hunting and gathering to establishing more permanent settlements.
“The excavations are opening a real window into the Stone Age,” Franz said. “We are learning a lot about the clans of Neolithic settlers who found this place favourable for introducing cultural methods of agriculture and livestock breeding to the territory of today's Burgenland in the sixth millennium BC. After centuries of hunting and gathering, the gradual settlement of people was a truly revolutionary event.”
Excavations at the site are scheduled to continue until the end of September 2025. To date, archaeologists have also documented pits and postholes, as well as pottery, all characteristic of Neolithic settlements. Ultimately, the site will be used for archaeological and cultural tourism, allowing people from around the world to appreciate the fascinating ancient history of the region.
“I am extremely pleased that an archaeological tourism centre is being built in Rechnitz,” said Burgenland Governor and Commissioner for Culture Hans-Peter Doskozil, “which will not only provide key historical information about our land, but will also serve as a recreation area for the local population and promote cultural tourism.”
After reading about the Neolithic earth circles in Austria that predate Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids, check out these mind-boggling ancient mysteries that still baffle historians. Then check out these fascinating ancient ruins from around the world.
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