“Who rests beneath these mounds?” That’s the question that lingers as we stand before the Keltengraber Zollikon. These so-called Celtic graves are burial sites dating back to the Hallstatt period. They represent the earliest traces of settlement in the Zollikon area.
These grassy knolls might seem unassuming. They hold secrets of the Celtic people who once called this land home. The Keltengraber Zollikon on the Feufbuhl hill offers a glimpse into their lives.
Originally, there were five burial mounds here. Sadly, two were disturbed in 1838 by amateur diggers. Any finds from that time remain unknown. It wasn’t until 1862 that a proper investigation took place. Ferdinand Keller led a careful excavation of the main mound at the Keltengraber Zollikon.
Keller’s team discovered a cremation burial within a stone setting. They found several pots, bowls and dishes. Intriguingly, a later inhumation burial was found higher up in the same mound. This grave possibly contained one or two bodies. A bronze cauldron was among the artifacts. Also, a bronze belt plate of local make was discovered. Jewelry and two whetstones completed the find.
These items suggest the later burial was a woman’s grave. No skeletal remains were found in the Keltengraber Zollikon. The main grave dates to around 650 BC. The second grave is about a hundred years older. Imagine the rituals. Visualize the lives of those buried here.
Keller deduced the process for the earlier burial. A pit was dug on the then likely treeless hilltop. The body was cremated likely on a pyre inside the pit. Afterward, the remains were placed in a decorated urn. A dozen storage vessels surrounded it. The grave was enclosed by a stone ring. A vaulted stone chamber roofed the burial. A stone circle marked the edge. It separated the realms of the living and the dead. The circle also helped prevent erosion. Keller also found seven fireplaces. Between them and the top of the mound he found a ring of small menhirs.
Today, the original finds are housed in the Swiss National Museum. But you can see copies in the Zollikon local museum. These objects offer a tangible link to the past.
As you stand here at the Keltengraber Zollikon, consider the people. Think about their beliefs. They chose this spot for a reason. They looked out over the land. They honored their dead. The Keltengraber Zollikon remind us of the long history.