The tomb of an Iron Age Celtic prince has been unearthed in a small French town . The 'exceptional ' grave , crammed with Greek and possibly Etruscan artefacts , was discovered in a business zone on the outskirts of Lavau in France 's Champagne region . The prince is buried with his chariot at the centre of a huge mound , 130 feet ( 40 metres ) across , which has been dated to the 5th Century BC . The biggest find at the site was a huge wine cauldron . Standing on the handles of the cauldron , is the Greek god Acheloos . The river deity is shown with horns , a beard , the ears of a bull and a triple mustache . A team from the National Archaeological Research Institute , Inrap has been excavating the site since October last year . They recently dated it to the end of the First Iron Age - a period characterised by the widespread use of the metal . Its discovery could shed light on Iron Age European trade , researchers say . The 2,500-year-old burial mound has at its heart a 14 square metre burial chamber , not yet opened , of an ancient royal . An Iron Age Celtic prince lay buried with his chariot at the center of this huge mound in the Champagne region of France , according to the country 's National Archaeological Research Institute ( Inrap ) Eight lioness heads decorate the edge of the cauldron ( right ) . Inside the cauldron , the archaeologists found a ceramic wine vessel , called oniochoe ( left ) A team from the National Archaeological Research Institute , Inrap has been excavating the site since October last year . Pictured is part of the cauldron found . 'It is probably a local Celtic prince , ' Inrap president Dominique Garcia told journalists on a field visit . The prince is buried with his chariot at the centre of a huge mound . His chamber has not yet been opened . This biggest find was a large bronze-decorated cauldron that was used to store watered-down wine . The cauldron has four circular handles decorated with bronze heads that depict the Greek god Acheloos . Another interesting discovery was a perforated silver spoon that was part of the banquet utensils , presumably to filter the wine . The mausoleum contained a decorated ceramic wine pitcher made by the Greeks . The most exciting find , he said , was a large bronze-decorated cauldron that was used to store watered-down wine . It appears to have been made by Etruscan craftsmen from an area that is today in Italy . The cauldron has four circular handles decorated with bronze heads that depict the Greek god Acheloos . The river deity is shown with horns , a beard , the ears of a bull and a triple mustache . Eight lioness heads decorate the edge of the cauldron . The mausoleum contained a decorated ceramic wine pitcher made by the Greeks . Decorations on the vessel reveal the god Dionysus , lying under a vine and facing a woman . The archaeologists also found remains of a iron wheel , from a chariot buried with the prince . Another interesting discovery was a perforated silver spoon that was part of the banquet utensils , presumably to filter the wine . The major find so far has been a large bronze-decorated wine cauldron , most likely made by Greek or Etruscans craftsmen ( left ) . On the right is a perforated silver spoon that was part of the banquet utensils , presumably to filter the wine . The pieces 'are evidence of the exchanges that happened between the Mediterranean and the Celts , ' said Garcia . Researchers say excavation at the site will be complete at the end of this month . The pieces 'are evidence of the exchanges that happened between the Mediterranean and the Celts , ' said Garcia . Inrap said burial chamber is one of the largest recorded for this period . The end of the sixth and beginning of the fifth centuries BC were characterised by the rise of Etruscan and Greek city states like Marseilles in southern France . Mediterranean merchants , seeking slaves , metals and other precious goods , opened trading channels with continental Celts . The Celts gained valuable objects of Greek and Etruscan origin as a result of the trade . Many have been found in other mounds in Heuneburg and Hochdorf in Germany . Researchers say excavation at the site will be complete at the end of this month . The 2,500-year-old burial mound has at its heart a 14 square metre burial chamber , not yet opened , of an ancient royal . The discovery , which has been described as 'exceptional ' , was made in Lavau , eastern France .
The grave was crammed with Greek and possibly Etruscan artefacts . The prince is buried with his chariot at the centre of a huge mound , . 130ft ( 40 metres ) burial mound from 5th Century remains unopened . Biggest find was a bronze-decorated cauldron used to store wine . Mausoleum contained a ceramic wine pitcher made by the Greeks . The burial chamber is one of the largest recorded for this period .