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Scientists Found a Secret 2,600-Year-Old Underground Vault—But Grave-Robbers Got to It First

created: Feb. 23, 2026, 4:47 p.m. | updated: Feb. 25, 2026, 12:34 a.m.

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:Archaeologists discovered a wooden Celtic burial chamber inside a southern Germany burial mound. In an equally fascinating follow-up, the team then found a shockingly well-preserved wooden chamber buried beneath the mound. The Riedlingen chamber grave—likely completed around around 585 B.C.—has a completely preserved ceiling, walls, and floor all made of solid oak, and was tucked away about 27 inches below the surface. The chamber walls were about three feet tall, and stretched 11 feet wide and 13 feet long. Archaeologists located two robber tunnels—both leading to the southeast corner of the chamber—where looters unfortunately broke through the chamber ceiling and gained access through a small entry hole.

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