▁was ▁located ▁in ▁an ▁elev ated ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁Alt m ühl ▁delta . ▁It ▁was ▁discovered ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁or ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁before ▁its ▁destruction ▁by ▁the ▁canal , ▁some ▁exc av ations ▁were ▁conducted . ▁By ▁that ▁time , ▁the ▁interior ▁had ▁already ▁been ▁completely ▁destroyed ▁by ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁gra vel ▁pit . ▁The ▁mo at ▁was ▁up ▁to ▁ 8 ▁m ▁wide ▁and ▁up ▁to ▁ 3 . 2 ▁m ▁deep . ▁To ▁the ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁structure , ▁a ▁small ▁bur ial ▁site ▁of ▁ 1 9 ▁late ▁La - T ène ▁gra ves ▁has ▁been ▁discovered . ▁To ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁vi ere ck sch anze ▁remains ▁of ▁buildings ▁have ▁been ▁found , ▁but ▁their ▁use ▁is ▁unknown , ▁they ▁could ▁have ▁been ▁used ▁as ▁dwell ings ▁or ▁as ▁w are h ouses . ▁ ▁Gra vey ards ▁ ▁N umer ous ▁Bron ze - ▁and ▁Iron - age ▁gra vey ards ▁dot ▁the ▁woods ▁around ▁Alc imo ennis , ▁and ▁likely ▁hold ▁dece ased ▁residents ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁Despite ▁their ▁frequency , ▁the ▁gra ves ▁are ▁far ▁too ▁few ▁to ▁house ▁the ▁many ▁inhabitants ▁the ▁city ▁once ▁had , ▁which ▁indicates ▁that ▁the ▁city ▁normally ▁used ▁alternative ▁means ▁of ▁inter ment ▁such ▁as ▁cre m ation ▁for ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁residents ▁and ▁reserved ▁bur ial ▁for ▁important ▁members ▁of ▁society . ▁These ▁gra vey ards ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁source ▁of