The Düwelsteene are one of the most southwestern finds of a preserved megalithic tomb of the Funnel Beaker culture. This culture dates between 4200 and 2800 BC, the megalithic tombs of this culture were widespread in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Scandinavia and are dated between 3500 and 2800 BC. Megalithic tombs of the Funnel Beaker culture were designed as burial places for several generations.
The Düwelsteene today (Image: LWL-Altertumskommission für Westfalen/Priß)
By examining finds from 1932 and before, such as ceramics, as well as by radiocarbon dating of a skull fragment from the tomb, the length of the usage of the tomb can be determined from about 3300 BC to 2600 BC.
The tomb that can be found today has the following dimensions since the restoration in 1932: The entire tomb complex, oriented from southwest to northeast, has an outer length of 12 meters. Inside, the length is 10.2 meters. The width of the megalithic tomb ranges from 2.7 meters to 4.3 meters outside, while inside the structure ranges from 1.5 meters to 2.2 meters in width.