HOCHDORF

GERMANY

The country home and resting-place of an Iron Age prince who lived around 525425 BC (late Hallstatt or early La Tene period). His principal seat of power was at Hohenasperg, nearby. The three sites—the seat of power, the country residence, and the grave—are all within 10 miles (16km) of Stuttgart on a tributary of the Neckar River.

The country home, locally known as Hochdorf Reps, consisted of some very big houses, up to 1,507 square feet (459 square meters), underground huts up to 25 feet (8m) long, and storage pits. All of these were surrounded by a rectangular fence. The main residence was a large, bow-sided house. Local wheel-turned pottery dominated the pottery assemblage, but some fragments of Greek kylices were found, dating to around 425 BC.

The storage pits were for storing barley, spelt wheat, and millet. Six rectangular trench granaries were identified at the residential site; at least two of them are thought to be associated with the production of barley beer.

The wagon grave at Hochdorf is one of around 100 wagon graves known from 550-500 BC in France, Switzerland, and Germany It is a huge barrow, 200 feet (60m) in diameter and 20 feet (6m) high when first constructed. The entrance to the mound was to the north. The mound was surrounded by a ring of stones and oak posts. Inside the barrow was a central chamber, 15 feet (4.6m) square, made of oak beams. Laid out on a platform inside was a man’s skeleton, with a large, bronze cauldron filled with honey mead at his feet.

Also in the chamber was a large four-wheeled wagon with harness for two horses. Inside the wagon was a dinner service of three serving bowls and nine bronze dishes and plates. Along the walls were nine 9-pint (5-liter) drinking horns, eight made from aurochs’ horns and one of iron inlaid with strips of gold. The dead king;—he must have been a king—was expecting to entertain eight other people when he reached the Otherworld. The chamber was decorated with wall hangings and carpets. There were two further square chambers: one 24 feet (7.3m) across and the other 36 feet (11m) across.

Over the chamber roof was a layer of 50 tons (45 tonnes) of stones, and it may be that it was this layer that prevented the grave-robbers from looting the tomb.

The man in the Hochdorf grave was 40 years old and unusually tall for the period: 6 feet, 1 inch (1.85m). He wore a flat cone-shaped hat (a coolie hat) made of birch bark, decorated with circles and punched decoration. His body was swathed in colored fabric. He wore a golden necklace and golden shoes. Beside him were his toilet requisites: a comb and a razor. There were also items of hunting equipment: a small iron knife, a quiver of arrows, and a bag containing three fish-hooks.

The big, bronze cauldron, probably Greek-made, was decorated with three lions on the rim and three handles with roll attachments. It would have held up to 109 gallons (500 liters) of honey mead; traces of mead were found inside. On top of it was a small, golden cup.

The bronze hearse on which the king was resting is supported by eight female figurines cast in bronze. They are standing on wheels, so that the hearse could be rolled.

Only a highly civilized culture could have produced a kingly burial such as this.