Ancient civilization's gold coins, luxury artifacts unearthed during 'unprecedented' dig

The discovery was announced by the Museum of Eastern Bohemia in Hradec Králové. The Celtic settlement was found along the route of a future highway, the July release said.

The site dates back to the La Tène period, with archaeologists finding that the settlement peaked in roughly the second century B.C.

The La Tène period marked the height of Celtic power in Europe, shortly before Roman expansion into the region.

Excavators also found numerous metal objects, along with ceramic vessel fragments and remnants of dwellings, production facilities and one or two "likely" sanctuaries.

"These include everyday objects as well as extraordinarily rich collections of jewelry."

The museum added that the site is "unprecedented" in the Czech Republic, in both scale and character - and that the location was "entirely exceptional."

Archaeologists said they were stunned by how many artifacts were packed into the soil.

"According to archaeologists, the site's importance is comparable to the most significant central agglomerations known from the Middle Danube region and southern Germany," the statement read.

"Remarkably, the settlement was unfortified."

This isn't the first time the Czech Republic has been the setting of exciting recent archaeological finds.