Celtic hero from Bohemia

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A remarkably preserved male sculpted head was unearthed at a Celtic site in Mšecké Žehrovice, roughly 65 kilometers northwest of Prague, Czech Republic. The discovery offers a glimpse into the visual aesthetic of the La Tène period, characterized by an omnipresent anthropomorphic head motif that was prevalent throughout Central and Western Celtic Europe. The anthropomorphic sculpture is an exceptionally rare find, with only a handful of examples surviving to this day. Archaeologists believe that the head was deliberately buried in a pit located on the southwest corner of a square enclosure. The dating of the pit has been further supported by the typology of the pottery sherds found at the site, which places the interment of the sculpture squarely in the mid 2nd to mid 1st century B.C. The marlstone head boasts an instantly recognizable moustache, owl-like eyes, and a torque ornament that sets it apart from other similar finds. Its unique hairstyle has made it an international emblem of 'barbarian' Europe, adorning the covers of numerous scientific and populist publications focused on Iron Age European issues.