Intact Celtic tomb

An intact Celtic tomb estimated to be 2,600 years old (640-475 B.C.) has been found, but the most interesting thing is the method of excavation. The 12' x 15' oak burial chamber weighing 80 tons has been removed from the site en bloc (4th image) for transport to the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments in Stuttgart. They hope to avoid exposure of fragile organic material like cloth and food to the air. The chamber was found at Heuneburg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, near a well-known chieftain's burial, which may have been a key trading site between Celts, Greeks, and Etruscans. Ornamentation and grave goods - which include gold, amber, and bronze jewelry (1st, 2nd, and 3rd images) - suggest that the burial is that of a noblewoman and her child. Results of the analyses of what dig leader Dirk Krausse refers to as a “milestone for the reconstruction of the social history of the Celts”- including for the 1st time a precise dating of an ancient Celtic site - are expected as early as next month.