2,600-year-old well-preserved Celtic burial chamber unearthed, stuns archeologists

Archaeologists have made an exciting discovery in Germany. They have unearthed a remarkably well-preserved Celtic wooden chamber within a large burial mound.

Discovered near Riedlingen, this exceptional finding sits strategically between Heuneburg, the oldest known settlement north of the Alps, and Bussen, famously referred to as the “holy mountain of Upper Swabia.”

Despite its significance, the area has remained largely unexplored, making this find a thrilling surprise for the excavation team. They had not anticipated uncovering such a well-preserved Celtic burial chamber, capturing significant historical interest.

Wood normally deteriorates underground within years or decades, which makes this burial chamber “unique and of outstanding scientific importance,” according to a press release, given its remarkable survival over 2,600 years.

Prof. Dr. Dirk Krausse from the State Office for Monument Preservation in the Stuttgart Regional Council (LAD) called the Riedlingen grave “a stroke of luck for archaeology: the scientific significance of this modernly examined and completely preserved Celtic chamber grave extends far beyond the borders of Baden-Württemberg and southern Germany.”

A 2,600-year-old wooden burial chamber

The excavation team encountered a substantial burial mound measuring 65 meters (213 feet) in diameter and originally standing 6 meters (19 feet) tall. Just beneath the surface, they unearthed a chamber constructed of solid oak, over 4.05 meters (13 feet) long.

While wood was likely a common building material in early Celtic times, such a pristine example is incredibly rare. A press release noted that only one other comparable discovery exists, found near Villingen in the Black Forest in 1890.

The remarkable preservation of this chamber, complete with its wooden ceiling, walls, and floor, is attributed to the lack of oxygen at the site. This oxygen-deprived environment allowed the organic material to endure for 2,600 years.

The floor was formed from planks laid in a north-south direction, placed upright and interlocked at the corners. A crossbeam supported the structure’s long walls, but the immense weight of the burial mound eventually caused it to collapse. The chamber now stands approximately 2 meters (6 feet) tall. By analyzing the wood, researchers traced the construction of the mound and chamber to approximately 585 BCE, a period predating written records.

Described as “a very solid construction,” the chamber’s design suggests an attempt to deter grave robbers. However, archaeologists discovered evidence of two tunnels dug into the grave. The impressive nature of the construction indicates that the young man buried within likely held a high social rank.

An initial anthropological examination of the bones indicates that they belonged to a male aged between 15 and 20 years.

Who did the grave belong to?

Although grave robbers plundered most of the artifacts, archaeologists managed to recover two bronze garment clasps and a small rock crystal. Nearby, they discovered a small pit beneath another burial mound containing two clay vessels with cremated remains, which date to 600 BCE.

As excavations continue near the Alps through the end of the year, the team of scientists and restorers eagerly anticipates further discoveries.

Dr. Roberto Tarpini explained in a press release that investigations will continue, hoping to find out who “this monumental burial was for.” In the next few years, the wood from the C eltic chamber will be “carefully recovered and conserved and restored for a museum exhibit.”