The Shaman of Bad Dürrenberg

About this episode

The episode explores the burial of a shaman in central Germany and what her artifacts reveal about Mesolithic society.

Nine thousand years ago, a special woman was buried in central Germany. She was her band's shaman, and they interred her with all of the tools of her craft: a feathered headdress with deer antlers, dozens of clinking animal teeth, an extraordinary variety of unusual objects. Who was she, and what can she teach us about the Mesolithic society to which she belonged? Become a member now at www.patreon.com/cw/PastLivesMedia. You'll get access to the Past Lives Discord server and four pieces of bonus content per month (including a historian interview, book club, Q and A, and a sources and evidence discussion). Past Lives is a 100-percent independent production, and your support is what allows us to make this show. So, thank you.

People in this episode

Host: Patrick Wyman

Topics covered

• shamanism
• archaeology
• Mesolithic society
• ancient burial practices
• cultural artifacts

Keywords

• shaman
• Bad Dürrenberg
• Germany
• Mesolithic
• archaeology
• burial
• artifacts
• cultural history

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Bad Dürrenberg, Germany

More episodes of Past Lives

• A Quick Guide to Ancient Egypt · June 10, 2026 · 31 min
• The Princess of Xiaohe · June 3, 2026 · 28 min
• Interview: Producer, Writer, and Director Tim Haines on Surviving Earth and Bringing the Distant Past to Life · May 27, 2026 · 29 min
• Xinjiang: The Crossroads of Eurasia · May 20, 2026 · 27 min
• The Corps of Discovery Wasn't Just Lewis and Clark: Interview with Craig Fehrman · May 13, 2026 · 38 min
• Gebelein Man and the Roots of Ancient Egypt · May 6, 2026 · 30 min