Where is it? In the German town of Germering, in the state of Bavaria. Archaeologists unearthed the remains of a wooden shaft. It is well preserved and full of ritual deposits. It is the Bronze Age wishing well.
It is more than 3,000 years old and reaches five meters deep. The findings found at the bottom pointed to its ritual use. What moved people 3,000 years ago to offer jewelry and other valuable gifts in this way?

Unusual well
This well is different from the other wells in the excavation area of about seven hectares. Normally, they served as a necessary water supply for the settlements.
“It was used at a time when the groundwater level had dropped very low. This indicates a long drought. No doubt also a low crop yield. The people of that time sacrificed part of their possessions to their gods at this well.” This was emphasized by Germering archaeologist Marcus Guckenbiehl.
Specialists point out that it is “extremely rare” for a well to survive more than 3,000 years. “Its wooden walls are completely preserved at the bottom. They are still partially soaked by groundwater. This also explains the good condition of the finds of organic materials, they are being further examined. We hope that this will provide us with more information about daily life at that time,” he stressed.

Valuable objects
Ceramic needles and vessels were found at the site. The excavation team also found at the bottom of the pit other items. Bracelet, two metal spirals, a gem-set animal tooth, four amber beads, many botanical remains.
All these objects are relatively expensive for the time. They were not in everyday use in the Middle Bronze Age. They were found in good condition at the bottom of the well. This suggests that they were carefully placed in the water and not thrown in.
The Bronze Age wishing well has been worked on by archaeologists since early 2021. The excavations are among the largest excavations carried out this year in Bavaria. In the meantime, the scientists documented some 13,500 archaeological finds. Mainly from the Bronze Age and the early Middle Ages.