Brandýs nad Labem Road Construction Uncovers Bronze Age Grave
Archaeologists working along the route of a planned road bypass near Brandýs nad Labem discovered a 4,300-year-old skeletal burial containing a woman and a newborn. Novinky reported that the find dates to around 2300 BC, placing it in the early phase of the Únětice culture. The find is part of a skeletal burial ground uncovered by archaeologists from the Ústav archeologické památkové péče středních Čech who examined the territory for the future road bypass.
The site sits within a roughly two-kilometer stretch between Zápy and the future intersection with road II/610 on Pražská street. Krajská správa a údržba silnic Středočeského kraje is preparing the bypass project, with regional councillors approving a contract for archaeological work costing up to 35.7 million korunas last year.
Early Únětice Culture Burial Details
The primary focus of the excavation is the grave of an approximately 30-year-old woman buried with a newborn infant. According to Ústav archeologické památkové péče středních Čech, the bodies likely represent a mother and child who died during or shortly after childbirth. Pravděpodobně jde o pohřeb matky s dítětem, zemřelými při porodu nebo krátce po něm,
uvedl Ústav archeologické památkové péče středních Čech v tiskové zprávě.
The woman lay on her right side in a contracted position with her head facing south and gaze directed east, holding the newborn in her arms with their faces turned toward each other. Anthropologist Pavel Kubálek professionally documented and lifted the remains from the field. A richly decorated small jug, which formed part of the funeral equipment, also originates from the burial ground.
Roman Period Settlement and Antler Crafting Artifacts
Fieldwork lasting from January through the end of September also uncovered evidence of habitation dating from the first to third centuries AD, belonging to a Germanic tribe inhabiting the territory of present-day Czechia. Within this Germanic settlement area, archaeologists recovered dozens of antler cuttings, partially worked tools, and manufacturing waste. These items indicate that local inhabitants processed antler horns on the site.
The excavation revealed a second female grave likely belonging to the same Roman period. The deceased was placed on her side in an unusually sharp, contracted position that diverged from standard burial practices of that era. Specialists also collected 50 tiny blue glass beads, two iron objects, and a fragment of another glass bead from the area, alongside traces of later medieval settlement.
Historical Context of the Polabí Region
The surrounding landscape near Brandýs nad Labem features rich archaeological deposits due to the proximity of the Labe river, abundant water sources, fertile soil, and natural transit routes. The work followed previous investigations around nearby Zápy that began in 2020, which uncovered settlement evidence from prehistory to the early modern period, including a Iron Age warrior grave, early Slavic settlement remains, and a brick cellar from the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. Head of this year’s excavation Lukáš Baloun therefore anticipated rich archaeological discoveries in the connecting section of the future road as well.
Previous projects in the vicinity include a 2020 excavation near Zápy that yielded a Celtic warrior grave from the fourth century BC equipped with a sword, spear, shield, and a bracelet typically found in female graves.
In 2007, researchers found a rare burial mound featuring a double grave from the Early Bronze Age in Brandýs. Another dig in Zápská street in 2015 exposed the remains of a prehistoric house roughly 40 meters long, a Bronze Age skeletal grave, and a coil of gold wire.
Questions About the Brandýs Archaeological Find
When did the archaeological fieldwork take place?
Fieldwork ran from January through the end of September along a two-kilometer stretch of the planned bypass between Zápy and road II/610.
What artifacts accompanied the Roman-era settlement discovery?
Researchers found dozens of antler cuttings, partially worked tools, 50 tiny blue glass beads, two iron items, and a glass bead fragment.
Who funded and managed the excavation project?
Krajská správa a údržba silnic Středočeského kraje prepared the road project, backed by a regional council contract for archaeological work costing up to 35.7 million korunas.
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