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Germany
Baden-Württemberg

Karlsruhe District

Rhein-Neckar-Kreis
Mauer

Sand Pit Grafenrain – Discovery Site of Homo heidelbergensis

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Natural Monuments

Germany
Baden-Württemberg

Karlsruhe District

Rhein-Neckar-Kreis
Mauer

Sand Pit Grafenrain – Discovery Site of Homo heidelbergensis

Highlight (Segment) • Historical Site

Sand Pit Grafenrain – Discovery Site of Homo heidelbergensis

Recommended by 30 hikers out of 32

This Highlight goes through a protected area

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Naturpark Neckartal-Odenwald

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    Routes here

    Best Hiking Routes to Sand Pit Grafenrain – Discovery Site of Homo heidelbergensis

    4.7

    (7)

    28

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    1. Erdinger Hut – View of Mauer loop from Mauer

    14.1km

    03:52

    240m

    240m

    Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Moderate

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Easy

    Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Moderate

    Tips

    March 30, 2021

    The Grafenrain sand pit was converted into a nature park and shows, as an example, the sediment layer situation on a 25-meter-high section of the terrain, which corresponds to the site where Homo heidelbergensis was found (no longer accessible today). Mauer's lower jaw is the oldest fossil of the Homo genus to have been recovered in Germany to date. It was discovered in 1907. The age of the lower jaw was dated absolutely for the first time in 2010 and is therefore said to be 609,000 ± 40,000 years.
    Sources: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterkiefer_von_Mauer; de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauer_(Baden)

    Translated by Google •

      May 31, 2025

      The Neckar River once flowed here, depositing sand. Excavations then uncovered the remains of a Homo sapiens.

      Translated by Google •

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        Distance 268 m

        Uphill 10 m

        Downhill 20 m

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        Location: Mauer, Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, Karlsruhe District, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

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