In Endingen am Kaiserstuhl, during a rescue excavation, a surprising funerary garden from the early Celtic period containing 18 burials has been uncovered. This is an unprecedented discovery in Baden-Württemberg, as no similar funerary structure has been documented in this region.
The team of archaeologists identified a funerary garden enclosed by a square ditch measuring 15 x 15 meters. Within it, the remains of 18 individuals were distributed across 17 burial pits.
The layout of the graves is particularly striking, as they appear to be arranged around a central sepulcher containing a double burial. Additionally, a grave was discovered outside the garden’s perimeter and another at the base of the surrounding ditch.
The archaeological work, carried out between April and July by the company ArchaeoTask GmbH under the supervision of the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments (Landesamt für Denkmalpflege, LAD), was conducted as part of the necessary measures prior to the expansion of a storage area in the region.
Since the presence of archaeological remains was expected at the site, excavations were undertaken to document and preserve these traces before construction began.
According to a preliminary assessment of the skeletal remains, the buried individuals include adults (at least eight) as well as young people and children. Interestingly, there appears to be a separation within the garden between areas designated for these groups.
The preservation of the remains is remarkably good, enabling detailed analyses of aspects such as the deceased’s age, sex, health, diet, and familial relationships.
Although the funerary objects found were mostly looted previously (over 60% of the graves), they are still valuable for determining the period and status of the burials.
Among the discoveries are fibulae, bronze bracelets, a silver ring, and a bracelet crafted from a rare organic material. These items date back to the early Iron Age, specifically to the La Tène Culture (450–250 BC).
The detailed analysis of this funerary garden will provide valuable insights into the lives of the Celtic communities that inhabited the southern Upper Rhine. Bioarchaeological studies, including DNA and isotopic composition analyses, will allow researchers to reconstruct information about diet, diseases, and familial relationships.
Furthermore, compared to other finds in the region, such as a contemporary funerary garden in Alsace containing only two graves, the one in Endingen stands out for both its size and complexity.
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