Celtic Grave

In the course of the construction of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal between 1986 and 1991, a significant burial ground from the Hallstatt period (8th - 6th centuries BC) was discovered below Eggersberg Castle, and excavated and scientifically documented.

Evidence was found in 95 graves of a total of 127 bodies that were interred there over the course of 200 years. The graves were chamber tombs from 3sqm to 40sqm in size, which were surrounded by stone circles and covered with a mound. In addition to inhumation graves for bodies, there were also cremation graves, which were reserved for the lower orders or serfs.

Two of the graves contained parts of a cart. In the Iron Age horses were accorded a great deal of importance as mounts; in several graves there was evidence of bridles from horses' harnesses. Horse harnesses and carts only occur in the case of burials of adult males, but in some cases women too were buried very elaborately: in grave 57 there was a splendidly apparelled woman, perhaps the daughter or wife of a Celtic chieftain or clan leader. In addition to high quality ceramics, which were found in every tomb, her jewellery included a small, pure gold hair ring, two rare decorative plate brooches used for fastening her garments, bronze melon arm bands, bronze chokers and a bronze, 1.31 metre-long and 15 cm wide belt plate, the longest Celtic bronze belt preserved in a single piece in the world.

Some of these finds from the Untereggersberg burial ground can be viewed in the Hofmark Museum at Eggersberg Castle.