A groundbreaking archaeological discovery in eastern Bohemia has unveiled an ancient Celtic settlement of remarkable scale and significance, dating back more than 2,200 years to the La Tène period. Unearthed near Hradec Králové during pre-construction excavations for the D35 motorway, the site has been described by experts as one of the most important finds in Gzech history, El.kz cites arkeonews.net.
Although the settlement was first identified in 2024 during preliminary motorway surveys near Hradec Králové, full-scale archaeological research only began recently.
Covering approximately 25 hectares (250,000 square meters), the settlement is attributed to the Boii tribe, the Celtic people after whom Bohemiais named. According to archaeologists from the University of Hradec Králové, the Museum of Eastern Bohemia, and Archaia Praha, this “open agglomeration” functioned as a central hub for commerce, manufacturing, and administration in the 2nd century BCE, before mysteriously vanishing in the 1st century BCE.
“This is undoubtedly a very important location with economic and social functions,” said archaeologist Matouš Holas, who helped lead the multi-institutional excavation. Notably, there are no signs of violent destruction, suggesting the settlement’s decline may have been gradual or influenced by economic or environmental changes.
Over 13,000 artifacts, including gold coins and Baltic amber, discovered in one of Central Europe’s largest Celtic settlements. Credit: Matouš Holas, Museum of Eastern Bohemia in Hradec Králové / University of Hradec Králové