Celtic Grave Found With 2,300-Year-Old Scissors and ‘Folded’ Sword During Excavation in Germany

Courtesy of Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

A tomb containing a pair of over 2,300-year-old scissors was uncovered by ordinance disposal officers in Germany during a construction project set to move forward in the Sendling district of Munich.

Prepped for handling explosive devices left over from World War II, during an excavation the officers instead found a Celtic grave site containing several metal artifacts—including a pair of ancient, left-handed sheers.

The officers reported the discovery to the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments in the early stages of its finding, who went on to extract from the grave:

They found said pair of over 2,300-year-old scissors in a state of excellent preservation, a folded sword, the remnants of a shield, a spear tip, a razor blade, a belt chain, and a fibula clasp.

A pair of over 0ver 2,300-year-old scissors were found in a Celtic tomb during an excavation in the Sendling district of Munich, Germany. Courtesy of Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

The quality of the contents points to the burial as being for someone of special social status.

Estimated to be over 2,300 years old, the scissors themselves are still “in mint condition,” stated professor Mathias Pfeil, head of the Bavarian Office for the Preservation of Monuments, in an April 24 press release.

“[T]hat is a special find! The quality of craftsmanship is just as impressive as the fortunate fact that this tool has been excellently preserved. The rest of the tomb furnishings also provide a fascinating insight into our past.”

Several burial objects were found in a Celtic tomb during an excavation in the Sendling district of Munich, Germany. Courtesy of Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

Detail of the over 2,300-year-old scissors found in the Celtic tomb. Courtesy of Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

Scissors were multifunctional devices even then. This almost 5-inch-long (12-centimeter) pair may have been used for cutting hair or textiles, or it might have been used to shear sheep, they stated. The implement appears almost like new; without rust, it still bears a metallic sheen.

Researchers believe the contents of the tomb were intended to accompany a male and female, LiveScience reported. From the 3rd century B.C. to 2nd century B.C., the Celts—who inhabited midland Europe—burned their dead and buried the skeletal remains in pits alongside grave goods.

Similar burials in Sendling indicate this recent tomb may have been undiscovered hitherto. The site is located centrally within a square delineated by four posts.

A folded sword that would have measured 30 inches (76 centimeters) in length was found in the Celtic tomb. Courtesy of Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

A razor blade was also discovered among the contents of the Celtic tomb in Sendling. Courtesy of Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

The grave also contained a sword that would have measured 30 inches (76 centimeters) in length had it not been heated and then folded, rendering it unusable.

One can only speculate as to the reason for its being folded, the researchers stated. Perhaps it was deliberately stripped of its functions to protect the site from looters. Or it may have been folded simply to fit inside the grave.

They further guessed that the sword’s “ritual destruction” might have been intended to forward its uses to its owner in the afterlife, or served as a superstitious measure to ward off revenants.

The folded sword found in the Celtic tomb in Sendling. Courtesy of Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

The over 2,300-year-old scissors found in the Celtic tomb in Sendling. Courtesy of Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments

The planned construction in Sendling is expected to continue without delays despite the tomb’s finding, the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments stated.

Meanwhile, this hitherto-unknown Celtic grave presents researchers a link to the ancient past from which to glean insight. Its contents have been secured in a state office, ensuring the possibility for future discovery.

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