Highway construction crews stumble upon massive Celtic treasure along ancient Amber Road in stunning archaeological discovery

What began as routine construction on a new highway has turned into one of the most extraordinary archaeological finds in the history of the Czech Republic.

While preparing the route for the future D35 highway in the central European country, construction workers inadvertently uncovered a vast and remarkably well-preserved 2,200-year-old Celtic settlement—right along the path of the legendary Amber Road, an ancient trade route that once linked the North and Baltic Seas to the heart of the Mediterranean world.

The discovery was made by archaeologists from the Museum of Eastern Bohemia in Hradec Králové and is being hailed as one of the most significant digs ever undertaken in the Bohemian region. The site dates back to the La Tène culture, the second major phase of the Iron Age in Celtic Europe, and offers a window into what experts believe was a bustling commercial and industrial hub during the 2nd century BCE.

A trading powerhouse of its time

The uncovered settlement stretches across more than 60 acres and, unlike many fortified Celtic sites of the period, was not surrounded by defensive walls. That hasn’t diminished its importance—in fact, quite the opposite. Archaeologists were stunned by the sheer quantity and quality of artifacts recovered, particularly from the upper layers of soil.

Among the trove: gold and silver Celtic coins, rare amber, high-end pottery, religious sanctuaries, residential foundations, early industrial buildings and even minting dies used for coin production. All signs point to a sophisticated settlement that played a critical role in cross-continental trade between northern and southern Europe.

“This find is truly without precedent in the Bohemian region,” said a spokesperson for the museum. “Its scale and character are unlike anything we’ve seen before.”

A rare site, untouched by time

One of the most astonishing aspects of the discovery is how undisturbed the site was, despite being located in a region known for centuries of intensive farming. Unlike many other sites in Central Europe, this settlement remained almost entirely intact—free from both modern agriculture and treasure hunters.

So far, over 22,000 bags of archaeological material have been cataloged, making it one of the largest Celtic-era collections ever unearthed in the area. Researchers say the site rivals some of the most important known La Tène sites in southern Germany and along the Middle Danube.

The discovery not only sheds new light on the ancient Amber Road but also repositions Bohemia as a vital crossroads of early European commerce and culture. As researchers continue to analyze the findings, they expect this site to reshape what we know about Iron Age Europe—and the far-reaching influence of the Celtic world.

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