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La Tène burial with rich bronze jewelry found near Prague
The grave of a young woman from the La Tène era adorned with a rich collection of bronze jewelry has been discovered 25 miles northwest of Prague. The style of the jewelry dates the grave to the 4th century B.C.
Archaeologists from the Archaeological Centre Olomouc excavated the route of planned highway expansion between February and October of 2024. The rescue excavations have thus far unearthed 467 archaeological remains, including 15 graves, covering thousands of years from the Neolithic to the early modern period.
The grave of the young woman about 20 to 30 years old was found near the town of Slaný. She was wearing a pair of bracelets and anklets with widened terminals, two bronze rings and a Duchcov-type fibula brooch used by the Celts of the La Tène period to fasten garments. Each of the pieces have different decorations.
Among the 15 burials were five from the Corded Ware culture (ca. 3000 B.C. – 2350 B.C.). Two of the five where children’s graves, one of which was furnishing with significant offerings, including a drilled deer tooth and a miniature axe head, likely carved from a larger axe that broke. The child died between the ages of three and five. The other child was older, between nine and 12 years old, and was buried with a large harpoon. His skeletal remains are in poor condition and appear to have been deliberately disturbed, likely as part of ritual practices after his burial.
Other notable objects recovered in the excavation include a set of drilled canine teeth that were likely strung on an organic string or hung directly on clothing found in one of the Corded Ware graves, an early La Tène bronze belt buckle with a snake design, and a ceramic vessel from the late Bronze Age that still contained thorns inside. Chemical analysis revealed traces of fat and wax on the edges of the vessel. Archaeologists theorizes that it may have been used as a fermenting vessel, but further analysis is needed to pinpoint its original usage.
The artifacts recovered are now being examined and conserved in the Olomouc laboratories. The human remains, including the bones of the young woman, will be subjected to stable strontium isotope analysis to determine whether she was born in the area or was raised elsewhere. DNA will be extracted from her bones to compare to the other burials found in the area. This will reveal any familial relationships among the deceased.
A selection of the artifacts will be presented to the public in a lecture held at the Kvíc Winery on November 8th.
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