The Grave of the Celtic Prince

The excavation

In the over 100 years of research into gravesites of early Celtic princes, the Hochford grave monument appears to be unique. Its more recent discovery permitted the use of the most modern research methods, making it possible for the first time to examine thoroughly the mound and the undisturbed grave. This was a real windfall for archaeological research.

Since 1968, Renate Liebfried, honorary deputy for the Office of Monument Preservation in Baden-Wuerttemberg, has often looked at the stones that were being plowed up. The examination of these areas has resulted in the discovery of the remains of the grave mound. Because the site was endangered by agricultural development, the mound was completely excavated in 1978/79 under the direction of Dr. Jorg Biel.

Traces of human activity have remained buried in the earth over thousands years. From the information that these artifacts and evidence reveal, archaeologists attempt to reconstruct the society, the life-style and environment of our ancestors. Most necessary for this is the careful and exact documentation of the finds and evidence: precise location, photography, sketches, a detailed description and careful excavation are of great importance. This alone documents a condition that will, thereafter, no longer exist, since every scientific excavation also signifies a destruction of the past.

The scientific value of an archaeological excavation rests upon the documentation of the evidence, of observations during the restoration of the finds, and by a multi-faceted natural science examination. Thus animal bones and botanical finds frequently offer more witness than the spectacular finds of gold. These countless bits of individual information are compared to what is already known, and lead finally to the construction of a mosaic stone in the total historic picture, either changing or confirming what we have already learned.