A previously unknown grave of a high-ranking individual from the Iron Age was found during excavations near Bad Camberg in Hesse, Germany, the Hessian Science and Research, Arts and Culture Ministry (HWWK) announced earlier in June.
The grave was discovered during preliminary investigations ahead of the construction of a solar park scheduled to be built near Bad Camberg.
Teams worked for two weeks to excavate the grave without impeding construction.
Within the grave, archaeologists found golden jewelry, imported items (such as an Etruscan spouted jug), and the remains of weapons – all of which led researchers to believe that it belonged to an individual who had been of high rank in their lifetime.
“With the Early La Tène–period princely grave from Bad Camberg, we can now demonstrate the presence of a local Celtic elite that had previously only been assumed,” said Hesse State Archaeologist Prof. Dr. Udo Recker. “The grave, and the opportunity to investigate it using the latest research methods, is of great significance for Iron Age research in Hesse.”
X-ray and CT scans of the excavated soil blocks revealed that there are additional grave goods that still need to be unearthed and studied.
Notably, archaeologists discovered evidence of wheel hub, axle-cap, and iron tire fittings at the site, indicating that a two-wheeled wagon was also buried there, making this an even rare burial than previously thought.
Based on these findings, researchers believe that the individual had been a Celtic prince or warrior buried alongside their vehicle.
Celtic wagon burials in Hessen are extremely rare, the ministry said, and none of those previously found match the one found near Bad Camberg.
The finds are currently being studied by Hesse Archaeology and the Keltenwelt research center in Glauberg.
“Already after the geophysical survey of the planned area, we speculated about the possible presence of a Celtic elite grave,” said Dr. Kai Mückenberger, archaeologist for the Limburg-Weilburg district. “That we would ultimately find not only a princely grave but even a wagon burial was something no one had expected.”
“The find from Bad Camberg fits into Hesse’s rich Iron Age heritage,” explained Hessian State Secretary for Culture Christoph Degen.
“Sites such as the Glauberg have long demonstrated the outstanding role that present-day Hesse played in the Celtic cultural sphere,” Degen said. “This new evidence can expand that picture: it promises new insights into social elites, craftsmanship, supra-regional contacts, and burial customs in the Late Iron Age.”
UK’s Iron Age memorial to ancestors with evidence of chariots
One of the most famed Iron Age hoards to be found in Europe, including evidence of chariots, may have also been part of a memorial honoring the ancestors of a significant leader, according to a study published in the journal Antiquity in early March.
The Melsonby Hoard was first discovered in 2021 near the ancient royal site at Stanwick, Yorkshire, by metal detector enthusiast Peter Heads. It was excavated a year later by archaeologists from Durham University, and dated roughly to around 35 BCE to 70 CE.
Due to its proximity to the Stanwick site, which was under the rule of Cartimandua, the 1st century CE queen of the Celtic Brigantes, researchers believe that the hoard may have been part of a funerary display honoring her ancestors.
Over 800 artifacts were found at the site, including 28 iron wheel-rims and U-shaped iron brackets, which researchers claim point to the presence of four-wheeled wagons on British soil 2,000 years ago.
Four-wheeled wagons are well-documented across Iron Age continental Europe, in France, Denmark, and Germany, but never before seen in Britain.
There is also clear evidence of the hoard’s destruction prior to its burial, researchers added in the study, noting that wagon tires were heated and bent out of shape and large boulders were thrown at the metalwork to smash it.
The collection’s careful arrangement is indicative of a “noisy, symbolic acts of deliberate destruction,” showing that the Melsonby Hoard was more than just a collection of abandoned valuables.
