Planeaban levantar una carretera y descubrieron una urbe celta preservada con tesoros, joyas y talleres de más de dos mil años
An archaeological find near Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic offers new information about ancient European trade. Archaeologists have uncovered a Celtic commercial and production settlement that dates back more than 2,000 years. Leading the work, Tomáš Mangel, together with a team from the Museum of Eastern Bohemia and the University of Hradec Králové, has provided new evidence on how trade operated before Rome dominated the region.
How the find came about and why it matters
The settlement, buried across 25 hectares, is unusually well preserved. Excavations began as a requirement for building the D35 motorway and, as reported by Live Science, revealed the site. With no obvious signs of modern disturbance (no farming or looting), the area offers a near‑pristine archaeological setting.
The discovery provides evidence of how logistical and exchange centres functioned before Roman control. Tomáš Mangel pointed out that the lack of fortifications suggests an “open enclave, oriented primarily to exchange and not to military defence.” In other words, this place appears built for trade and production rather than for fighting.
What the archaeologists found
The range and number of finds are notable: more than 22,000 items have been catalogued. That total includes hundreds of gold and silver coins, indicating a sophisticated economy. The recovery of minting equipment, such as coin moulds, shows that coin production was a major activity here. Remains of workshops reveal different metallurgical techniques, pointing to advanced skills in metalworking.
Personal items, jewellery, brooches and bracelets, sit alongside everyday fittings like belt mounts and glass beads, which help reconstruct daily life and local tastes. The team also found luxury imported ceramics and amber, which together point to long‑distance trade connections via the Amber Road (the route linking the Baltic Sea with the Mediterranean Sea).
The site’s economic role and cultural identity
The settlement functioned as both a commercial centre and a production hub, and appears to have been an important logistical node for moving and redistributing goods across Europe. Its position along key routes helped bridge northern and southern Europe and supported a network of exchange and distribution that fed the Celtic economy.
Culturally, the site fits with the La Tène Celtic culture, known for its artistic and technological skill. The settlement fits that tradition and, according to the Museum of Eastern Bohemia, “has left a lasting mark on the region’s identity.”
What this means for research going forward
Because it is well preserved and rich in finds, the site is among the most significant Celtic discoveries in Central Europe. Researchers say its intactness makes it possible to reconstruct ancient logistical systems and production chains in detail. As the Museum of Eastern Bohemia puts it, “the settlement stands out both for its size and for the richness and variety of the objects found,” making it a key source of information on pre‑Roman commercial networks.
Outside academia, the find prompts a reassessment of the complexity of early European economies and cultural exchanges. The evidence suggests trade and interaction were already well developed before Roman dominance.