Archaeologists find Stone Age burial site near Narva River

Photo: Andres Tvauri

Archaeologists of the University of Tartu who have discovered several likely settlement sites in the last few years dug up a late Stone Age burial site near the Narva River in northeastern Estonia recently, news of the public broadcaster ERR reported.

The site dates from the Corded Ware era spanning roughly 2900-2000 B.C. The settlement and large burial site found at Narva-Joesuu represents the biggest evidence of late Stone Age human activity discovered in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea so far.

The more than four thousand years old human bones are badly preserved but grave offerings include rare finds.

«One stone axe and three pottery beakers have been found in the grave. Only one such beaker had been found previously, so now there is an opportunity to study more deeply that period of Estonian history,» professor Aivar Kriiska said.

The settlements near the Narva River began to be studied more thoroughly four years ago. The Tartu archaeologists have been working there together with the Finnish association of archaeology enthusiasts Hanko.