Goseck circle

The Goseck Circle is a prehistoric circular monument located in the town of Goseck in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is one of the best-preserved examples of a circular enclosure from the European Neolithic period and is estimated to date back to around 4900 BCE.

The monument consists of a circular ditch and embankment, with an outer diameter of approximately 75 meters. At the center of the circle is a wooden palisade, which is believed to have been around 2 meters high and was composed of wooden posts arranged in a circular pattern. The palisade was likely used for ceremonial or ritual purposes and may have been associated with the observation of astronomical phenomena.

The Goseck Circle was discovered in 1991 during excavations for a new motorway and was subsequently excavated by archaeologists. The site is notable for its sophisticated construction techniques and for the fact that it appears to have been aligned with the winter solstice sunrise. This suggests that the monument may have been used as an astronomical observatory, with the palisade providing a marker for the winter solstice sunrise.

Today, the Goseck Circle is open to visitors and is considered to be an important archaeological site. It is part of a wider network of Neolithic monuments in the region, which include other circular enclosures, burial mounds, and standing stones. The site has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is recognized as an important example of prehistoric architecture and astronomy.