Archaeologists from the National Historical Museums have uncovered an extraordinary Neolithic ceremonial complex in Hammar, Skåne, Sweden, dating back to 3,500–3,000 BCE.
This site reveals rare insights into the lives and rituals of the Funnel Beaker culture, which thrived across Scandinavia between 4,300 and 2,800 BCE. Discovered near a wetland area east of Kristianstad, the complex includes a stone-lined causewayed enclosure and extensive ceremonial deposits.
Among the remarkable finds are well-preserved Funnel Beaker pottery, large quantities of worked flint, animal bones, and rare organic artifacts such as horn and bone tools, including a fishing hook, an antler billet for flint knapping, and a stylus likely used in leatherworking. According to Magnus Artursson, project manager with the National Historical Museums, “The remains and artifacts are very well preserved, which is extremely unusual for a site from this period.” The preservation of these organic materials is especially notable, as they provide rare evidence of the complex craftsmanship and daily activities of the people from this era.
The site appears to have served as a gathering place for ceremonial feasts and religious festivals. The wetland deposits contain large quantities of animal bones, many of which were broken to extract marrow, indicating ritualistic butchering practices. Nearby, archaeologists discovered a causewayed enclosure—a semicircular stone structure with pits as deep as 1.5 meters—that likely served as the focal point for these gatherings.
“These are unique for the Neolithic period in this country,” said Artursson. “We have discovered a ceremonial complex where people gathered at certain times during the year to celebrate religious festivals. The finds suggest feasts with ritual butchering and deposition of offerings both in the wetland and in the open pits of the enclosure.” This enclosure, approximately 50 meters in diameter, echoes similar structures found at Neolithic sites in Denmark, like the one at Sarup, indicating potential cultural connections across the region.
Artifacts found within the pits of the enclosure suggest that people engaged in various activities, from flint crafting to leatherworking. Whole ceramic vessels, sometimes accompanied by animal remains, were found intentionally placed on stones or near the wetland, reinforcing the ceremonial importance of the site. The presence of such a large volume of artifacts, including a dog’s skull, adds weight to the theory that this area was not only a gathering place but also a sacrificial site.
The Funnel Beaker culture, known as one of Scandinavia’s earliest farming communities, likely brought farming practices to the region around 4,000 BCE. They cultivated grains, raised livestock such as sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle, and supplemented their diet through hunting and fishing. They also constructed passage graves and dolmens for the dead, some of which have been found a few miles from the Hammar site, suggesting a close link between the burial sites and this ceremonial center.
