"Schwarze Berge" Burial Mound Field near Ralswiek

The “Schwarze Berge” burial mound field near Ralswiek – Rügen’s largest necropolis

The “Schwarze Berge” near Ralswiek on the island of Rügen is home to the largest burial mound field in the entire region. Over 400 burial sites from the Slavic period stretch across an area of approximately 400 × 700 meters—an archaeological site of extraordinary scale on the Baltic Sea coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Most of the sites have already been scientifically investigated.

The Ralswiek Lake Trading Center and Its Slavic-Era Burials

The necropolis is closely linked to the Ralswiek lake trading center across the bay, which is considered the oldest permanently settled site on the island of Rügen. It is believed that the dead from this significant settlement were buried here. Finds from the burial ground attest to extensive trade contacts with Northern Europe and the Orient.

Boat Burials and a Horseman’s Grave – Distinctive Features of the Schwarze Berge

Among the remarkable discoveries in the necropolis are boat burials and a horseman’s grave in a wooden chamber—rare evidence of Slavic burial rituals that are also significant in a broader archaeological context. The burial mound field is thus considered one of the most important prehistoric sites on Rügen and along the entire German Baltic Sea coast.