The princely grave of Oss is the largest and richest princely grave in the Netherlands. It dates from the Iron Age and was discovered and investigated in 1933. Sixty years after the discovery, a new investigation took place to rediscover the grave that had since fallen into oblivion.
During the excavations, archaeologists found a bronze urn (a situla) with remains of a cremation. Also, well-decorated weapons, wood, clothing and pieces of horse harness came to light. The wealth of the gifts and the presence of the horse harness indicate that someone with great prestige found his final resting place here. A regional leader from the early Iron Age: the ‘Prince of Oss’.
Not only do the rich and exotic grave goods point to a powerful person, the bone remains that were examined also show that it is most likely a prince. The man, aged 40 to 60, had an ossified spinal column.
How this exactly occurs is unknown, but it is often found in pre- and protohistory in people who had a high social status in society. A possible explanation for the deformities is that these people spent their lives mainly sitting. Like a real king.
With a height of 3 meters and a diameter of 53 meters, this was the largest burial mound in the Netherlands. Under the princely grave of Oss lies an even older burial mound. This dates from the Bronze Age (approx. 1800 BC) and has a diameter of 14 meters.
Since 2003, the prince’s grave has been partially restored. For example, the grave with the Bronze Age grave underneath it has been constructed at the original level. The entire burial field is now approximately one meter higher than the rest of the landscape.
Part of the double row of posts has also been reconstructed and in the middle of the hill the replicas of the urn and the sword can be seen.
the cultural treasures
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