Princely 2,600-Year-Old Celtic Burial Chamber Uncovered in Germany

In a brilliant archaeological find on the Danube Plain near Riedlingen, southwestern Germany, a Celtic burial chamber has been painstakingly unearthed. Likely an elite burial from early Celtic society, it is situated at the heart of a large burial mound – an imposing structure spanning 65 meters (213 feet) in diameter. Standing at nearly 2 meters (6.5 feet) high today, archaeologists believe that in its original form, it would have towered over 6 meters (nearly 20 feet)!

Princely Burial Mound of the Region!

Such dimensions categorize it among the “princely burial mounds” of the region, dating back to between 620 and 450 BC, a time when such elaborate tombs were reserved for the highest-ranking members of Celtic society in southwestern Germany. Generally, elite Celtic burials were reserved for individuals of high social status such as warriors, chieftains, or princes.

The burial practices often included the use of wooden chambers or stone constructions, with elaborate feasting rituals sometimes accompanying the burial. These tombs were designed not only to honor the dead but also to display the prestige of the family.

Overview photo of the exposed burial chamber with chamber walls and chamber floor. (© State Office for Monument Preservation in the Stuttgart Regional Council/Jörn Heimann)

“The newly discovered burial chamber is an outstanding testimony to our rich monument landscape. It is still completely preserved 2,600 years after its creation,” said the State Secretary in the Ministry of Regional Development and Housing Baden-Württemberg, Andrea Lindlohr MdL, in a statement to the press.

“The archaeological heritage of Baden-Württemberg is impressive and gives us insights into times and societies long past.”

Archaeologists are employing state-of-the-art techniques in excavation, documentation, and restoration to ensure preservation of artifacts. The ensuing studies will answer questions around the identity of the individual buried in this grand tomb, explains Dr. Roberto Tarpini.

Only once before has a fully preserved Celtic burial chamber been found in Germany, during an 1890 excavation near Villingen in the Black Forest. Unfortunately, the excavation methods of that era were not as thorough as today’s standards, leading to inadequate documentation of the finds.

State Secretary Andrea Lindlohr MdL with the wooden tools left behind by the early Celtic builders of the burial chamber. (© LAD/Andreas Dubslaff/Ministry for Regional Development and Housing Baden-Württemberg)

Wooden Preservation: A Freakish Anomaly of Nature

Dr Tarpini also explained that the wooden elements of the chamber and its remarkable preservation, including walls, floor, and ceiling, were made possible by the unique hydrological conditions of the site, which kept the wood submerged in groundwater, protecting it from decay.

The wooden burial chamber in question was constructed from massive oak planks lying just 70 centimeters below the surface. The structure, measuring approximately 3.4 meters (11 feet) wide and 4 meters (13 feet) long, with walls originally standing about 1 meter (3.3 feet) high, have withstood the test of time.

The chamber’s roof, built from layers of thick oak planks was potentially already built to shield the tomb from looters. The preservation of this wood enables dendrochronological dating, which has already established that the chamber was constructed around 585 BC, reports LBV Magazine.

Despite this, signs of looting have been uncovered from the southeastern corner of the chamber, where a small tunnel, measuring 40×45 centimeters (15.75×17.7 inches), was dug by ancient grave robbers, who managed to strip the chamber of its valuables.

Schematic graphic reconstruction of the burial mound with burial chamber and grave robbers’ tunnel. ©(State Office for Monument Preservation in the Stuttgart Regional Council / Faber Courti-al)

Despite the robbery, archaeologists have found fragments of bronze and iron nails, which hint that the burial may have once contained a four-wheeled chariot, a feature seen in other prominent Celtic burials, such as the famed Hochdorf prince’s tomb. Preliminary analysis of several well-preserved human bones points to the individual being a young male, aged between 15 and 20 years old.

In addition to the primary burial, further discoveries around the mound include the remains of another individual, a man aged between 25 and 35 years, who was buried later, roughly around 500 BC. His burial was accompanied by two bronze fibulae and a small piece of rock crystal, suggesting his own importance in Celtic society.

Finally, a small pit containing two ceramic urns filled with cremated remains, dated to around 600 BC, was also uncovered. Excavations at the site will continue in the coming weeks, with the aim of completing the work by the end of the year, reports Newsweek.

Ceramic vessels from the early 6th century BC, which served as urns and were found in a pit under the burial mound. (© State Office for Monument Preservation in the Stuttgart Regional Council / Yvonne Mühleis)

Prof. Dr. Dirk Krausse from the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments in the Stuttgart Regional Council (LAD), the long-time head of research at Heuneburg and state archaeologist of Baden-Württemberg, concluded, “The Riedlinger Grab is a stroke of luck for archaeology: the scientific significance of this modern examined and fully preserved Celtic chamber grave extends far beyond the borders of Baden-Württemberg and southern Germany.”

Top image: Presentation of the Early Celtic Burial Chamber, Riedlingen, Germany.      Source: © LAD/Andreas Dubslaff/Ministry for Regional Development and Housing Baden-Württemberg

By Sahir Pandey