8 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A well-preserved comb discovered in a 4th-century rare Alemannic chamber grave in Germany

During a rescue excavation in the center of the village of Gerstetten, located in the Heidenheim district of southwestern Germany, archaeologists uncovered a rare Alemannic chamber grave dating back to the early 4th century.

On behalf of the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments (LAD) in the Stuttgart Regional Council, the archaeological specialist company ArchaeoBW carried out a rescue excavation in the village center, which has been inhabited since late antiquity. The excavation was initiated as part of a rescue operation in preparation for a new housing development project in the area.

The Alemanni were a group of Germanic tribes who were in constant conflict with the Roman Empire and settled north of the province of Raetia.

The region where the tomb is located is rich in history with deep links to ancient Roman and early Germanic cultures. The village center, where the grave was found, has been continuously inhabited since late antiquity.

The grave, found unexpectedly in the village center, was constructed as an elaborate wooden chamber and contained the skeletal remains of a man approximately 60 years old. Radiocarbon dating places the burial between CE 263 and 342 and was characterized by its solitary location, a typical feature for graves from this period.

Among the objects found in the tomb were as well as an amazing small comb with all its teeth and handle practically intact. Photo: ArchaeoBW / State Office for Monument Preservation in the Stuttgart Regional Council
Among the objects found in the tomb were as well as an amazing small comb with all its teeth and handle practically intact. Photo: ArchaeoBW / State Office for Monument Preservation in the Stuttgart Regional Council

Among the objects found in the tomb were ceramic and glass vessels, a high-quality glass cup, as well as an amazing small comb with all its teeth and handle practically intact.

The glass cup is believed to have originated from the nearby late Roman fort of Guntia (modern-day Günzburg). The other funerary objects have clear similarities with discoveries from the central Elbe-Saale region.

The grave’s design and valuable artifacts indicate the deceased held significant status in Alemannic society.

In the Baden-Württemberg region, early Alemannic graves are uncommon, so the discovery is especially noteworthy. Typically, small groups of five to twelve people are found in the majority of early Alemannic graves. However, the unique design of this lone grave and the high caliber of the artifacts discovered inside make it stand out.

Photo: ArchaeoBW / State Office for Monument Preservation in the Stuttgart Regional Council

The artifacts were taken to the LAD restoration workshop in Esslingen after the excavation for additional examination and conservation. The excavation team is currently documenting the remaining finds, which include the human bones, while two ceramic vessels have already been restored.

Though the area south of the current excavation site has not yet been investigated, the Stuttgart Regional Council has expressed hope that more graves may be found there. The archaeological investigations of the site are to be continued at the end of the year.

Stuttgart Regional Council

Cover Photo: ArchaeoBW / State Office for Monument Preservation in the Stuttgart Regional Council

Related Articles

New AI Tool ‘Fragmentarium’ Brings Ancient Babylonian Texts Together

6 February 2023

6 February 2023

An artificial intelligence (AI) bot was developed by linguists at the Institute for Assyriology at Ludwig Maximilian University in Germany...

Botanical Findings Analysis from Biblical area of Goliath sheds Unprecedented Light on Philistine Ritual Practices

27 February 2024

27 February 2024

Bar-Ilan University researchers shed “unprecedented light” on Philistine ritual practices, such as the use of psychoactive and medicinal plants, by...

Digitally Reconstructed: Roman Roads That Shaped 1,000 Years of Travel Across Medieval Britain

21 May 2025

21 May 2025

Researchers digitally reconstruct medieval England and Wales’ travel routes, revealing how Roman roads shaped post-Roman mobility over a thousand years....

An ancient Roman road has been discovered in the Venice Lagoon

24 July 2021

24 July 2021

Researchers discovered a Roman road submerged in the Venice Lagoon. The finding suggests that substantial communities may have existed in...

Ancient Balkan genomes trace the rise and fall of the Roman Empire’s frontier, reveal Slavic migrations to southeastern Europe

7 January 2024

7 January 2024

The genomic history of the Balkan Peninsula during the first millennium of the common era—a period marked by significant changes...

Structures in Turkey’s Panaztepe pointing out a 5,000-year-old settlement found

8 November 2021

8 November 2021

In the 5000-year-old Panaztepe settlement located in the Menemen district of Izmir, structures thought to belong to the oldest period...

A 2100-year-old inscription found İn Türkiye: Antiochos of Commagene calls on the people to ‘obey and respect the law’

15 March 2024

15 March 2024

The ancient inscription found near Kımıldağı (Kımıl Mount) in Önevler village of Adıyaman’s Gerger district in 2023 will shed light...

Papal bull discovered in a former cemetery dated to the 14th century

10 May 2023

10 May 2023

A medieval bull found in 2021 in Budzistów village (Kołobrzeg district), Poland has been restored and placed on display in...

A first in 35 years! Child grave with bracelets and gifts found in ancient city of Kelenderis

25 June 2022

25 June 2022

During this year’s excavations in the ancient city of Kelenderis, founded on the Mediterranean coast in the southern province of...

Hundreds of silver coins have been found near the castle of Lukov in Moravia

4 September 2021

4 September 2021

In the forest near the Southern Moravian Fortress Lukov, two members of the Society of Friends of the Lukov Fortress...

In China, 2700-Year-Old Face Cream Made from Moon Milk for Men was Found

14 February 2021

14 February 2021

At a Chinese excavation site with Chinese and German researchers, evidence of a 2,700-year-old male facial cream was found. In...

First example of Roman crucifixion in UK discovered in Cambridgeshire village

8 December 2021

8 December 2021

In Cambridgeshire village, the earliest evidence of a Roman crucifixion has been discovered. Archaeologists investigating a previously unknown Roman roadside...

Dingoes were regarded as “almost human” in pre-colonial Australia

21 October 2023

21 October 2023

When it comes to Australia’s wild dingoes, the phrase “a dog is a man’s best friend” takes on new meaning....

A Christian monastery, possibly pre-dating Islam, found in UAE

6 November 2022

6 November 2022

A Christian monastery has been discovered on the island of Siniyah off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE),...

Roman Era Mosaic Unearthed in Illegal Excavation Near Zile Castle

13 May 2025

13 May 2025

A stunning mosaic has been unearthed during an illegal excavation near Zile Castle, located in the Tokat province of Türkiye,...