Numerous sites on the ridge between Wadrill and Löster provide evidence of a dense settlement, extensive trade contacts and a highly hierarchical society between the late 5th century BC and the 3rd century AD. The region was connected to a system of roads that already existed in pre-Roman times and was closely networked with surrounding centers such as the Dollberg near Otzenhausen. The local elite established a fortified settlement there as early as the 4th century BC, which was expanded into a massive fortification (the so-called “Hunnenring”) in the course of the 2nd and 1st centuries BC.
Early Celtic princely tombs
The many richly decorated “princely tombs” from the 5th and 4th centuries BC, which belong to the so-called “Hunsrück-Eifel culture”, are particularly impressive. The high social status of the people buried unburnt in these monumental tombs is reflected in the wealth of their grave goods. In addition to high-quality products from local workshops, they also include valuable imported vessels as status symbols that testify to trade contacts in the Mediterranean region. This is also evidenced by the nearby Gehweiler burial mound group, which was excavated by the State Monuments Office between 1998 and 2004, and during which a bronze jug made in Italy was recovered alongside other luxury goods.
Between tradition and new influences
After a phase of relative scarcity of finds at the end of the 4th and in the 3rd century BC, there are numerous finds from the Late Celtic period (2nd and 1st century BC) that can be linked to the “Treveri”, who are documented in written records for our region. This shows a continuation of early Celtic traditions in the settlement of ancestral centers and the burial of imported luxury goods in rich graves of the upper classes - even if the deceased were now cremated and buried in shallow graves. The Roman conquest of Gaul under Iulius Caesar (58-51 BC) was a political turning point, but initially had little impact on the way of life of the local population. From an archaeological point of view, the Roman influence in the Hochwald only became tangible with the spread of foreign cultural elements from around the turn of the millennium. The region around Oberlöstern in particular provides important insights into the process of Romanization, which combined elements of both cultures.
