Revisiting the Celtic Prince of Lavau

Back in 2015, I wrote here about a spectacular archaeological discovery in France, the tomb of a Celtic prince buried around 450 BC. The excavation report was finally published last year, and now INRAP is running a feature celebrating the 10th anniversary of the find. The famous princely burial was part of a large funerary complex stretching across neary 20 acres (8 hectares) that was first used around 1000 BC. The complex included a ritual space used for cremations and numberous tombs, some of them covered with large mounds. This was "the domain of the ancestors", to which the noble dead of this lineage migrated when their earthly lives were over.

The prince was buried with a spectacular array of goods, including this "ceremonial dagger."

And a wonderful bronze Etruscan cauldron.

Cauldron detals, from the excavation.

Greek vase.

Perforated spoon.

The abstract of the full report referes to the prince as "une porteur d’épée," a sword-bearer. That is also how I see these men, the descendants of steppes warriors, the class of horsemen, knights, generals that dominated Europe from 2000 BC down to the 19th century.

What an amazing find.