Archaeologists in southern Germany have uncovered a remarkably preserved Celtic burial chamber dating to 585 B.C., buried beneath a 213-foot-diameter burial mound. The wooden chamber, measuring 11 feet wide and 13 feet long, features solid oak walls, floor, and ceiling that have survived for 2,600 years thanks to the site's damp soil conditions.

Despite the chamber's thick ceiling designed to deter grave robbers, looters managed to breach the southeast corner through two tunnels. The theft was extensive, with no metal or valuable materials remaining inside. Archaeologists did find bronze decorative nails in one tunnel, suggesting the chamber once held a four-wheeled chariot typical of elite Celtic burials.

Human remains were discovered in the main chamber and two nearby graves, including a young male aged 15-20 and another male aged 25-35 with bronze garment clasps. The State Office for Monument Preservation plans to salvage, preserve, and eventually reconstruct the entire chamber for museum display, calling it an "outstanding testimony" to the region's archaeological heritage.