GOLD. Jewels. Armour. These are some of the riches uncovered alongside the remains of an ancient Celtic priestess near the Danube River in Germany.

The iron-age tomb sits in the ruins of the prehistoric hill fort of Heuneberg, near the Danube River, in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg.

It has survived unusually well intact for almost 2600 years — even though many burials about it have long since been looted. Inside has been found a hoard of richly adorned grave goods, fashioned out of gold, bronze and amber.

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The priestess, believed to be in her 30s, was buried in a timber chamber which was found alongside a contemporary burial of a young girl, aged about three.

The two appear to be linked in some way, as many of their grave goods are similar.

The priestess is believed to have been a member the Heuneberg city-state’s elite ruling class. It dominated the surrounding region from the sixth century BC.

That we now know so much about her is thanks to the wood of the 4.6m by 3.8m burial chamber being waterlogged by frequent floods from the Danube. An examination of the oak and fir tree rings indicate the tomb was built in 583BC

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Her grave is part of an enormous excavation project aimed at preserving what remains of the ancient burial ground.

A farmer uncovered a golden brooch in 2005. This led to the discovery of the child’s grave, and then to the priestess’ timber burial chamber.

The entire site was cut out of the ground — all 80 tonnes of it — and moved to a laboratory in 2010 to protect it from looters and farm activity.

The results of the careful excavation have been published in the latest edition of the archeology journal Antiquity.

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The grave is the first from 6th Century BC Celts to be found intact. It holds a myriad of treasures.

Jewellery featuring amber. Gold filigree and bronze ornaments. Piles of furs, rugs and clothing. Carved wood.

One large ornament of boar’s tusks and bronze bells would have been attached to a horse’s chest by its harness. It would have jingled loudly as the horse moved.

Other objects are also related to horses.

One bronze sheet appears to have been part of a horse’s bit and armoured forehead piece known as a chamfron.

The researchers say the style of the Celtic jewellery was similar to that found over the Alps in Italy, Greece and Cyprus.

This indicates an extensive trade network and exchange of ideas, they write.

One of the key finds suggesting the woman was a priestess was the presence of petrified sea urchins among her goods. These are believed to have had religious significance to the local Celtic tribes.

The priestess herself was about 1.63m tall (5ft3in).

A second woman was also found in the chamber. Her few pieces of bronze jewellery suggest she was a servant.