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The find proves the importance of the Glauberg region as early as the Iron Age.
An extraordinary archaeological find is currently connecting the past and present in a unique way: Lilly Then, a student at the Konradsdorf comprehensive school, discovered a bronze arm ring from the early Iron Age near Büdingen. This rare piece of jewelry dates back to the Hallstatt period of the 8th or 7th century BC and provides new insights into the settlement history of the region around the Glauberg.
The find is remarkable not only from an archaeological perspective. It also represents the close and long-standing collaboration between the Celtic World at Glauberg and the Konradsdorf Comprehensive School. This cooperation dates back to 2014, when, under the initiative of history teacher Tobias Stolte, the school began making regular visits to the museum and Glauberg. Over the years, this long-standing connection has developed into a continuous exchange that is now firmly established in the daily life of both the school and the museum.
With the appointment of Tobias Stolte as headmaster and the cooperation agreement signed in March 2025 between the Konradsdorf Comprehensive School, the Celtic World at Glauberg, and Konradsdorf Monastery, which is managed by the State Palaces and Gardens of Hesse, this collaboration was further formalized and elevated to a new institutional level. The aim is to provide students with direct access to archaeological research, monument preservation, and regional history.
The fact that Lilly Then, a student herself, is involved in the discovery of an important archaeological monument gives this collaboration a special symbolic significance.
„"This discovery impressively demonstrates that archaeology doesn't just take place in museums, but begins right on our doorstep," emphasizes headmaster Tobias Stolte. "This makes history a direct and tangible experience for our students."“
After Lilly Then discovered the artifact, it was immediately reported to the relevant authorities. Further investigation was carried out by Dr. Axel G. Posluschny, head of the Celtic World Research Center at Glauberg, in close collaboration with the district archaeologist of HessenARCHÄOLOGIE, Hardy Prison MA, and the district archaeologist of the Wetterau district, Dr. Jörg Lindenthal. Thanks to the finder's responsible actions, important scientific information was preserved.
A piece of jewelry from the early Iron Age
The find is a massive bronze arm ring with a round cross-section, thickened ends, and fine ribbed decoration. Such arm rings were part of Iron Age dress and served far more than mere ornamentation. They could express social status, regional identity, or cultural affiliation.
The arm ring belongs to a characteristic type of Hallstatt-era artifact and can be dated to the 8th or 7th century BC. Comparable pieces are primarily known from graves. There, they accompany the deceased as part of their personal grave goods and today provide valuable insights into clothing, jewelry preferences, and social roles of the early Iron Age.
Glauberg as a power center with a long history
The dating of the find is particularly interesting. The bronze arm ring was created around three centuries before the heyday of the famous "Celtic prince of Glauberg," whose richly furnished grave was built around 400 BC.
This find underscores the long and continuous importance of the Glauberg region as a settlement and power center. Even in the early Iron Age, people lived here who were part of far-reaching cultural networks and had access to high-quality metal objects. The arm ring proves that the region's prominent position did not begin with the Celts of the 5th century BC at Glauberg, but extends significantly further back into the past.
Every new find contributes to completing this picture. The arm ring now discovered is therefore far more than a single piece of jewelry: it is a testament to the early history of the region and another building block for understanding the development that later made Glauberg one of the most important Celtic centers in Europe.
Description of find:
Bronze arm ring
Early Iron Age, Hallstatt period Ha C, 8th/7th century BC.
Massive, round-bar bronze arm ring with thickened ends and fine ribbed decoration (type after A. Abegg-Wigg, Arm and leg rings: recognize – identify – describe, Identification Guide to Archaeology 9, Berlin/Boston 2023, 140 No. 1.1.3.7.2.1).
The arm ring was part of Iron Age dress and served both as jewelry and as an expression of social and cultural identity. Comparable pieces are predominantly known from burials and represent important evidence for clothing, status symbols, and social structures of the early Iron Age.