▁many ▁discover ies , ▁including ▁many ▁im pe cc ably - pres erved ▁and ▁elabor ately - decor ated ▁ur ns ▁and ▁the ▁Ste er ▁of ▁Mich els berg , ▁a ▁bronze ▁figur ine ▁in ▁the ▁shape ▁of ▁a ▁ste er ▁from ▁around ▁ 2 0 0 ▁B CE . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁known ▁gra vey ards ▁consist ▁of ▁groups ▁of ▁ ▁grave ▁m ounds ▁that ▁still ▁are ▁quite ▁visible ▁today , ▁not ably ▁around ▁the ▁nearby ▁village ▁of ▁Alt ess ing . ▁ ▁Ex c av ations ▁Notable ▁find ings ▁include ▁a ▁bronze ▁wine ▁jug ▁( pro bably ▁imported ▁from ▁Camp ania ) ▁discovered ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁in ▁a ▁grave ▁near ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁opp id um . ▁This ▁also ▁contained ▁a ▁spe ar ▁head ▁and ▁a ▁sword . ▁Several ▁other ▁items ▁were ▁found ▁in ▁a ▁grave ▁in ▁the ▁so - called ▁Mit ter feld ▁at ▁the ▁foot ▁of ▁the ▁Michel berg . ▁Scient ific ▁exc av ations ▁were ▁conducted ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁directed ▁by ▁K . ▁Schwar z ▁and ▁between ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁by ▁F .- R . ▁Hermann . ▁Further ▁discover ies ▁were ▁made ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁during ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Rh ine – Main – Dan ube ▁Canal ▁by ▁B . ▁Engel hardt , ▁B .- R . ▁Go et ze ▁and ▁M . ▁Ho ppe . ▁ ▁Ident ification ▁of