Bedburg-Königshoven

The archaeological site in Bedburg-Königshoven contains two carefully modified red deer antler head-dresses with skull alterations and lateral perforations that were buried in river sediments near the Erft approximately 9,780 years ago. The discovery rests on a wealth of other well-preserved animal bones from multiple species that paint a vivid picture of life during this early period.

The site came to light in 1987 when excavating equipment uncovered ancient animal bones during lignite mining operations that had destroyed the former settlement of Morken. The discovery allowed researchers to access remains that had been hidden for millennia beneath river sediments.

The antler head-dresses suggest that hunter-gatherer communities here engaged in ritual practices beyond daily survival. These objects reveal something about the symbolic and social life of people who inhabited this region millennia ago.

The site itself offers limited public access as ongoing research continues in the area. The actual artifacts are housed in research facilities for analysis, so visitors should check beforehand about any exhibitions displaying the finds or related information.

The two antler head-dresses were crafted with such precision and pierced in ways that suggest they were worn as elaborate ceremonial headwear, possibly during special ritual gatherings. The fact that they survived so long in the wet riverine environment makes them extraordinarily rare examples from this distant epoch.