Rare Celtic helmet found in northeastern Poland

A rare Berru-type bronze helmet, typically found in Celtic regions, was discovered in Łysa Góra, a site in northeastern Poland. The helmet was found in a ritual pit along with iron tools and other artifacts.

A study published in Antiquity notes that this is the only known example of this type of helmet outside the Celtic homeland, which is typically associated with the 4th century B.C. in Central Europe.

Archaeologists at the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw described the site as one of the most significant and mysterious from the Early Iron Age, with the helmet representing power and indicating long-distance contacts.

Łysa Góra was a fortified settlement between the 6th and 4th centuries B.C., possibly inhabited by people from the West Baltic Barrow Culture. Previous excavations, though conducted between 1971 and 1992, yielded few published findings.

The discovery of the helmet came from a ritual pit containing charred remains and other objects. Initially thought to be a bronze vessel, the object was identified as a helmet after further examination.

The presence of nearly 80 La Tène artifacts suggests that a group of Celts may have lived at the site for about two generations. The site's location near amber-rich areas and trade routes may have made it a strategic trading post.