A Celtic tomb is unearthed, revealing skeletal remains on display, adorned with metal artifacts and surrounded by stones and pottery shards, lying on a textured surface.
Archaeologists excavating a muddy site are carefully uncovering artifacts possibly linked to a Celtic tomb. Two people crouch close to the ground, while another works in the background. Wooden beams and tools are scattered around, with greenery visible at the edges of the site.
Aerial view of a quaint village surrounded by lush green forests, perched on the edge of a large, calm body of water. Among the cluster of houses with gray rooftops lies an ancient Celtic tomb, nestled within the serene landscape under a partly cloudy sky.

Mystery of the Celtic Tomb

History·1 x 50 min·Completed

This film explores the origins of the Celts, uncovering their culture through preserved salt mines, ancient artifacts, and the mystery of a 2,400-year-old tomb.

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Genre
Cultural Heritage
History
Duration
1 × 50 min
Definition
4K
Audio
5.1
Status
Completed
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Synopsis

The Celts, who were they? Where did they come from?

Were they mystical druidic people of the British Isles – or gruesome, barbarian warriors who got under Caesar’s skin? The discovery of a mysterious tomb may soon shed more light on the lives of these enigmatic people.

The story of the Celts begins in the heart of the European Alps. In a very special place called Hallstatt. Here, archaeologists have found remarkable evidence of a culture that thrived 3,000 years ago trapped and perfectly preserved inside sealed salt mines. In a massive nearby cemetery, the remains of over 1,500 people interred with countless precious artifacts have also been excavated.

The salt of Hallstatt originated in a wide, shallow sea that existed 255 million years ago. For 7,000 years humans have mined it – the Celts managed to extract around 100 tonnes a year.

From this remote corner of the Austrian Alps, the early Celts traded raw salt and cured products all over Europe, spreading their technical skills and cultural achievements.  Rare, precious salt gave them wealth and power, and it gave scientists a unique window onto their world.

When these mines were first opened, researchers were presented with a slice of time preserved for millennia. In deep shafts they found perfectly preserved organic material; mining tools, cooking vessels, rucksacks and even prehistoric toilet paper! Golden amulets and earrings, luxury products from all over Europe as well as ivory from Africa and Asia were discovered buried with their owners in the Hallstatt cemetery; one of and largest prehistoric cemeteries in Europe.

But now, archaeologists intend to delve much deeper into the lives of the first Celts with the help of other experts … like climate researchers, geologists and paleobotanists – and with cutting edge dating techniques. Together they will soon try to solve one of the strangest Celtic puzzles of all – inside a 2,400 year old tomb the remains of a woman and two men have been recovered. She was an aristocrat; they were giants of men. A shaman and her entourage? Relatives or sacrifices?

What is the secret behind this ancient ménage à trois; could it be the first real evidence of mystical rites from the dawn of the Celts?

Team

Written and directed by Klaus T. Steindl
Executive producers Martin Mészáros, Sabine Holzer
Production Company Produced by Terra Mater Factual Studios

Awards & Recognitions

Graz, Austria Mountainfilm Graz Honourable Mention (Category: People and Cultures) 2019
Redondo Beach, USA US International Film & Video Festival Certificate (Category Documentary: History) 2019
New York, USA New York Festivals TV & Film Awards Finalist (Category: History & Science) 2020
Czech Republic AFO - Academia Film Olomouc Nomination (Category: International Competition) 2019
Gödöllö, Hungary International Nature Film Festival Gödöllö Nomination (Category: Scientific Documentaries) 2019
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