Hidden treasure: Switzerland’s largest Celtic burial ground

A model of a grave from the Germanic National Museum. This is what the urn graves in Unterlunkhofen probably looked like inside. zvg / Sven Straumann

For centuries it lay hidden deep in the forest – today it can be clearly seen: the Celtic burial ground of Unterlunkhofen in canton Aargau.

Thick fog lingers as the wind whispers through the trees and yellow leaves drift to the ground. In the Reuss Valley forest near the Unterlunkhofen forestry centre, the landscape is dotted with unusual mounds – some barely half a metre high, others rising up to five metres.

These are Celtic burial mounds from the early Iron Age, dating to around 800 BC. “This is a very important site,” says Sven Straumann, cantonal archaeologist for Aargau, as he guides visitors through the forest.

The mounds belonged to members of the Celtic elite almost 3,000 years ago. “Building these was a major feat. Whoever was buried here wanted to be seen,” Straumann explains.

Sven Schürmann, head of the cantonal archaeology department in Aargau, gives a guided tour of the ancient burial site. SRF / Barbara Mathys

Hidden in the forest, discovered in the 19th century

When first constructed, the burial mounds stood in open terrain. Over the centuries, the forest grew over them, concealing the site from view. Archaeologists rediscovered the graves in the 19th century – but too early, according to Straumann. “Unfortunately, archaeologists back then didn’t have the same tools and methods as we do today. We could have learned much more.”

These two silver pendants were found in the Celtic grave in Unterlunkhofen. zvg / Schweizerisches Landesmuseum

Large sections of the site were excavated at the time, and many artefacts are now housed at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich. Among the finds were decorated clay vessels, silver bracelets and bronze pendants. Today, the focus is on preserving what remains and making it accessible to the public – a task shared by archaeologists and foresters such as Christoph Schmid.

‘It should remain a hidden treasure’

Until a few years ago, the burial mounds were covered by dense undergrowth and trees. “For a long time, the idea was that it should remain a hidden treasure,” says Schmid. Only a small footpath circled one of the mounds.

There are around 60 mounds in the forest near Unterlunkhofen. This is where ‘the elite’ of the Celts were buried almost 3,000 years ago, says the archaeologist. SRF / Barbara Mathys

That changed when cantonal archaeologists launched a ten-year project to make the site more visible. Since then, Schmid and his forestry team have regularly tended the area, thinning out trees to reveal the mounds. Nature also lent a hand: a storm brought down several trees, and the bark beetle further cleared the forest.

‘Like a park with clearings’

Today, the Celtic burial ground at Unterlunkhofen resembles a park with several open glades. “It’s not as spectacular as the pyramids of Giza, but it’s still a beautiful sight,” says Schmid. “People really enjoy visiting the site.”

Many people come to Unterlunkhofen to see the old burial site, says forester Christoph Schmid. SRF / Barbara Mathys

Archaeologist Straumann is also pleased with the result. “We expected it would take much longer to reach this point.”

The mounds are already clearly visible, but work continues. Plans are underway to add an educational forest trail and information boards with QR codes to help visitors learn more about Switzerland’s largest Celtic burial site.

Translated from German using DeepL/amva