Austria
Hallstatt and the Hallstatersee

This is one of the main lakes of  the salzkammergut it's stunning beauty is obvious to all. It has a rich history dating back to the late bronze age. It is in an area rich in salt deposits which is why the region has been occupied since early times. A perfectly preserved body of a frozen salt miner discovered in modern times has been dated to the early days of regions occupation by mankind. Excavations in the 19th century revealed more than two thousand graves some dating back to 1100 B.C.   Space is limited for modern burials so a typical Austrian custom can be seen at the village church where bones are stored communally to allow grave space to be used many times over.

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