by Archaeologists have uncovered an ‘exceptional’ ancient Celtic cemetery and an early Stone Age farming settlement in the Czech Republic.
The Archaeological Center of Olomouc announced that researchers made the discoveries during rescue excavations in the Přerov district of the Olomouc region, located in the eastern part of the country, prior to construction work.
According to the archaeologists, the ‘unique’ and extensive Celtic cemetery would date back to the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. A total of 33 cremation graves were identified at the site, making it one of the largest known in the wider region.
“This is an exceptional find, because Celtic graves from other sites are usually skeletal and occur in smaller numbers. Here we managed to uncover several dozen cremation graves, which is truly unique,” lead archaeologist Marek Kalábek said in a statement.
The site is dominated by the grave of what appears to be a Celtic warrior. He was buried with his iron spear, belt and sword stored in a leather scabbard, indicating that the individual was a member of the elite in the local community.
Archaeological center of Olomouc
Although this tomb stands out for its rich furnishings, the others were much more modest. They consist mainly of small sunken pits in a round or rectangular shape, which sometimes contain fragments of metal artefacts and ceramics. These simple cremation graves shed light on the lives and deaths of the less prosperous members of the ancient Celtic community.
“Thanks to these findings, we gain unique information about those for whom we have little evidence so far,” Kalábek said.
The Celts performed the cremation ritual with great skill. Therefore, only small fragments of skeletal remains have been preserved at the site.
In addition to the Celtic cemetery, the team also discovered a number of medieval Slavic graves containing skeletal remains from the 9th and 10th centuries. These finds date from the Great Moravian Empire, an important early medieval Slavic state that existed in Central Europe. This culture is associated with deep chamber tombs, which were found in the Přerov district.
“According to the Christian burial method, the body was placed in the grave with the head facing west, with the lower limbs extended and usually without rich equipment,” anthropologist Lukáš Šín said in the press release.
Items found among these graves include small jewelry, iron knives, ceramic vessels, and flint fire sets.
“They were probably farmers who were not very wealthy, as evidenced by the modest equipment, for example a small bronze earring we found near one of the skulls,” Kalabek said.
But the archaeologists did make a remarkable discovery: a preserved wooden bier in a woman’s grave. A bier is a platform or frame used to support a coffin or corpse during funeral ceremonies, such as funerals or cremations.
“This is an extremely well-preserved object, as wood is not normally preserved under our conditions,” Šín said.
Research in the area also revealed evidence of an early agricultural settlement dating back to approximately 5000 BC during the Neolithic period or New Stone Age. At the site, researchers identified the remains of longhouses, storage pits and ovens, as well as hundreds of artifacts.
“In addition to numerous ceramics, we also discovered chipped flint tools, fragments of ground axes and stone mills for grinding grain. The artifacts found help us better understand the daily life of prehistoric society,” Kalábek said.
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