History burst into life in highway dig: 22,000 bags of treasure found

The highway project carried out near the city of Hradec Kralove in the Czech Republic opened the way for an important discovery in the archaeology world. In the excavations started on the construction site, remains of a large Celtic settlement dating to the Iron Age and the 2nd century BCE were uncovered.

The settlement spread over approximately 25 hectares drew attention with its size and the diversity of artifacts uncovered.

22,000 bags of historical artifacts were recovered from the excavations.

The Hradec Kralove East Bohemia Museum, Hradec Kralove University, and Archaia Praha's joint work yielded numerous valuable archaeological finds.

In the region, in addition to gold and silver Celtic coins, molds used for coin minting, amber believed to have come from the Baltic area, glassware, and metal cap fragments were found.

During the two-year excavations, the recovered artifacts were individually collected and classified. At the end of the work, it was reported that the finds totaled 22,000 bags.

About 10 Times Larger Than Similar Settlements

One of the most striking features of the discovery was the area occupied by the settlement. According to information relayed by the Houston Excavation Center Museum, similar Iron Age settlements previously found in the region generally consisted of areas ranging from 1 to 2 hectares.

The roughly 25‑hectare size of the newly discovered Celtic settlement sets it apart from similar centers in Bohemia.

Excavation chief Matous Holas said that the work, which began in 2023, was made possible by the highway construction. Holas pointed out that without the road project, this historic site could have remained undiscovered for many years.

No Defensive Wall in the Settlement

Another detail that caught the archaeologists' attention was the absence of any traces of a defensive wall or ditch around the large settlement.

Nevertheless, remains of dwellings, production workshops, and two sacred structures were identified in the excavations. These findings show that the area was not only a residential zone but also a site of production and religious activity.

Experts assess that the settlement's most prosperous period dates back to before the Celts expanded their large, fortified centers called oppida. The discovery is expected to provide new insights into the settlement patterns and social life of Celtic societies.