Recent archaeological research on the D35 Plotiště-Sadová highway in the Czech Republic has unveiled an extraordinary long barrow, shedding light on the funerary practices of the Eneolithic period. Located at the border of the villages of Dlouhé Dvory and Lípa, this monumental structure provides a unique glimpse into the social hierarchies and burial customs of the Funnel-Beaker culture, which thrived between 3800 and 3350 BC. Rescue Excavation Reveals Funnel-Beaker Culture Burial Site The long barrow, a significant funerary monument, was identified by an elongated trapezoidal gutter typical of such structures. Spanning an impressive 190 meters (623 feet) in length, it ranks among the longest barrows in Central Europe. Although traces of a palisade, often found in similar structures, were absent, the barrow's dimensions and orientation—15.1 meters (49.5 feet) wide in a north-east-south-west direction—are noteworthy. Intensive agricultural activities over the centuries have erased the above-ground evidence of the mound, which is unsurprising given the region's farming history. However, the excavated entrance, preserved as a posthole and gutter, along with the gutter structure, provides critical insights into the barrow's original form and construction. The Battle Axe Culture: Piecing Together the Age of Crushed Skulls Stone Age Grave of a Mother and Child is the Oldest Baby Burial in the Netherlands   Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyAncient PlacesEuropeRead Later