French Archaeologists Discover Ancient Chariot Tomb

A team of archaeologists working on a Gallo-Roman villa have stumbled upon a rare chariot tomb thought to contain the remains of a princess or a priestess, La Croix reports. The site is located close to Charleville-Mézières, a city near the France-Belgium border.

Excavation work has unearthed the two metal circles framing the wheels, as well as thin gold leaves used to decorate them. The finds also include the skeletons of two horses and yellow glass beads, which only appeared at the end of the Iron Age, around 130 BC. This last element has led scientists to believe that the tomb dates back from this period.

While most of the deceased were cremated from the 3rd century BC onwards, a few members of the aristocratic elite continued to be buried. They were usually positioned on a chariot, which was a symbol of social prestige. The excavations were initially scheduled to stop in the coming days, but they have been prolonged due to the significance of the discovery.