Celtic tomb refutes the savagery of ancient peoples

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Scientists continue to explore the unique Celtic burial found in Baden-Württemberg.

More recently, not everyone knew the name of the Bettelbuhlbach stream, which flows near the village of Hunderzingen in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg and flows into the Danube. But after a sensational find was made on the bank of the stream in the summer of 2010 - a Celtic burial of the 6th century BC, it became known to archaeologists around the world. At least for specialists in the Celtic civilization.

Search a woman

Archaeologists were lucky: they discovered a uniquely preserved tomb of the Celtic "princess". "That is what we call it," says the head of the excavation Dirk Krausse. "Although in reality we know very little about the social organization of the Celts." A burial of a kurgan type hid a wooden frame under a three-meter layer of earth. The mound itself, erected on the bank of the stream, eventually leveled off to the ground and became invisible. This is what saved the tomb from being plundered in ancient times, to which most of the burial mounds in Europe were subjected.

Nicole Ebinger-Rist at work

Since Bettelbuhlbach diligently washed the underground wooden structure made of massive beams with his waters, its preservation, according to archaeologists, is "close to ideal." "In dry ground, a tree would not have had such a chance of being preserved for centuries," says restorer Nicole Ebinger-Rist, a member of the archaeological expedition.

The work on the bank of the stream was not carried out by chance: a large Celtic settlement was discovered not far from the excavation site in the early 1990s. Today Hoineburg is one of the largest museums of Celtic culture in Europe. In the "best years" (at the turn of the 6th-5th centuries BC), up to 10 thousand people lived in a settlement surrounded by an earthen rampart. It was obvious to scientists that other traces of the Celts should be looked for in the vicinity.

Archeology between scanner and microscope

In a wooden tomb, two skeletons were found - a woman and a child. In another world they were accompanied by rich gifts: jewelry made of gold and amber, jet and bronze. But they were not the main target of archaeologists. "Today, the most sensational discoveries are made in the laboratory," says Nicole Ebinger-Rist. Archeology has moved away from the pursuit of objects, and biological and chemical research leads to far more interesting conclusions.

A giant block of land with a Celtic burial was cut from the soil and taken to the laboratory

To study the precious material, it was decided to resort to the help of builders: a giant cube of earth with a tomb was cut out of the ground and transported by truck to a special laboratory in Stuttgart. So far, it has been possible to establish the exact dating of the tomb: the burial was carried out 2600 years ago.

Quiet sensations

"If you are after sensations, we have to disappoint you," smiles Nicole Ebinger-Rist. Until now, no traces of sacrifice or other manifestations of "barbarism", which are usually attributed to the Celts, have been found in the burial. On the contrary, everything indicates that we are talking about a people with a high culture. "At least the upper strata of Celtic society appreciated luxury and knew a lot about aesthetic objects," confirms the archaeologist Krausse.

"The high level of social and military organization of the Celts is also evidenced by the fact that in 387 BC they managed to capture Rome."Why did the Celtic nation, which was, as the researchers say, "on the path to high culture", disappeared without a trace? Why did the Celts "allow" the Romans to assimilate themselves? Scientists have yet to answer these questions.

Now both the excavations are in place and the thorough research of the finds in the laboratories continues. It remains unclear to what extent the "princess" and the child buried with her were related. If, through DNA research, it is possible to establish their relationship, this will at least make it possible to make assumptions about the details of the burial cult. Scientists are convinced of one thing: the image of the Celts as incompetent barbarians (as presented by the creators of the famous comic strip "Asterix and Obelix") will have to be parted once and for all.