Rare Celtic prince's grave unearthed in Germany, archaeologists reveal

Archaeologists working ahead of the construction of a solar park near Bad Camberg in Germany have uncovered a previously unknown Iron Age grave believed to belong to a high-ranking member of the Celtic elite, with discoveries at the site including gold jewellery, imported artefacts, weapons and evidence of a rare waggon burial.

The discovery, announced earlier in June by the Hessian Science and Research, Arts and Culture Ministry (HWWK), was made during preliminary excavations before construction work began. Archaeological teams spent two weeks excavating the grave while ensuring the project remained on schedule.

Artefacts point to high-ranking individual

Researchers recovered gold jewellery, imported objects including an Etruscan spouted jug and the remains of weapons from the burial site, leading them to conclude that the grave belonged to a person of considerable status.

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“With the Early La Tene–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.”

Waggon burial makes discovery even rarer

X-ray and CT scans carried out on excavated soil blocks have revealed the presence of additional grave goods that are yet to be recovered and analysed.

Archaeologists also identified wheel hubs, axle caps and iron tyre fittings, indicating that a two-wheeled waggon had been buried alongside the individual.

The findings have led researchers to believe the grave belonged to a Celtic prince or warrior interred with his vehicle.

According to the ministry, Celtic waggon burials are extremely rare in Hesse, and none of the previously discovered examples matches the burial uncovered near Bad Camberg.

Researchers continue to study the site

The artefacts are currently being examined by Hesse Archaeology and the Keltenwelt research centre 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 waggon burial was something no one had expected.”

Hessian State Secretary for Culture Christoph Degen said the latest discovery adds to the region's archaeological significance.

“The find from Bad Camberg fits into Hesse’s rich Iron Age heritage,” Degen explained.

“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 discovery offers fresh Iron Age comparison

The German discovery comes months after researchers in the United Kingdom published a study suggesting that one of Europe's most significant Iron Age hoards may have served as a memorial to the ancestors of an important Celtic leader.

The Melsonby Hoard, first discovered in 2021 near the ancient royal site of Stanwick in Yorkshire by metal detector enthusiast Peter Heads, was excavated in 2022 by archaeologists from Durham University and dated to between 35 BCE and 70 CE.

Because of its proximity to Stanwick, once ruled by Cartimandua, the 1st century CE queen of the Celtic Brigantes, researchers believe the hoard may have formed part of a funerary display honouring her ancestors.

More than 800 artefacts found

The excavation yielded more than 800 artefacts, including 28 iron wheel rims and U-shaped iron brackets, which researchers say provide evidence that four-wheeled waggons were used in Britain around 2,000 years ago.

While such waggons are well documented across Iron Age continental Europe, including France, Denmark and Germany, they had not previously been identified in Britain.

Researchers also found clear signs that the hoard had been deliberately destroyed before burial. According to the study, waggon tyres had been heated and bent out of shape, while large boulders were used to smash the metalwork.

The careful arrangement of the collection suggests what researchers described as “noisy, symbolic acts of deliberate destruction", indicating that the Melsonby Hoard represented more than a cache of discarded valuables.