The Nazis believed that her grave was of a white man. But it turned out that the 9,000-year-old human remains belonged to a powerful, dark-skinned woman.
When the remains of the “Shaman of Bad Dürrenberg” were discovered in eastern Germany in 1934, they were attributed to a rich white man, the “original Aryan”. The Nazis, already in power at the time, claimed that the 9,000-year-old remains were of one of their dominant “Aryan” forefathers, who they believed to be a fair-skinned, blue-eyed, and blond-haired man.
It was later revealed, however, that they were completely mistaken, as the buried remains were not those of a Caucasian male but instead of a powerful, dark-skinned female shaman from the Mesolithic period, approximately spanning from 9,500 to 4,500 BC.
Considered one of the earliest burials in central Germany, the grave of the Bad Dürrenberg shaman also contained the remains of an infant. The woman’s skeletal analysis revealed that her two topmost cervical vertebrae were deformed, and the lower skull region’s blood vessels could have been constricted.
Anthropologists speculate that this peculiar condition may have granted her special abilities, including the ability to clamp a blood vessel by positioning her head in a certain way, resulting in an involuntary eye movement known as nystagmus, whereby the eyes drift upward and then “beat” or jump downward. This special movement of the eyes may have made it appear as if she was in a trance or “possessed” by animal spirits, which may have contributed to her becoming an important figure in her community.
The abundance of grave goods found in her burial is a testament to her high social standing, and specific grave goods played a significant role in identifying her as a shaman.
The burial site contained an impressive variety of animal species, some of which may not have been exclusively for food offerings for the afterlife. Ethnographic studies imply that certain objects discovered in the Bad Dürrenberg grave may have served as necessary tools for shamanistic rituals. She was interred wearing deer antlers, possibly even a complete deer skull, on her head. The discovery of three turtle shells within the grave suggested that they might have been used as rattles in shamanistic practices. Additionally, the presence of many pierced animal teeth indicated that they could have been used as pendants.
The scientists also obtained new information regarding the young boy buried with the woman. By sequencing the woman’s genetic material entirely and partially decoding the child’s genome, they discovered that the boy was not her offspring, but they were distantly related. The child’s remains are still under examination to gain further insights into why and how he was buried within the shaman’s grave.
The examination of the shaman’s remains has disproven outdated beliefs that were prevalent throughout history. During prehistoric times, women did not hold inferior social or political positions, as evidenced by the elaborate burials they received. Physical or psychological differences from the perceived norm did not result in social exclusion; instead, such individuals could attain prominent positions within their community.
Of course, the Nazis would have found this revelation unwelcome, as they were seeking evidence to support their belief that their ancestral “Aryans” had always inhabited Germany, in order to promote their “thousand-year empire” and their fascist racial ideology.
Instead, it turned out that nine thousand years ago, it may have been commonplace for a woman who was physically distinct from the average person in her community, and had a different skin color, to become a powerful spiritual or political leader.
Sources: 1, 2, 3