Discoveries from Prague Ring Road rescue excavation unveiled
The Czech Academy of Sciences has unveiled a series of unique archaeological finds discovered during a rescue dig along the future Prague Ring Road. The research, one of the biggest of its kind in Czechia’s history, offers a rare glimpse into the lives of prehistoric communities near the Czech capital.
A collection of gold ornaments from the Hallstatt culture, spiral hair accessories, decorative clothing fasteners, and ceramic vessels buried with food offerings for the dead: these are just a few of the remarkable items uncovered during archaeological work on the missing section of the future Prague Ring Road.
Once completed, the road will link the D1 highway, which connects Prague and Brno, with an existing section near Běchovice, where Road 12 heads toward Kolín.
Fieldwork began in May 2024 and has covered a vast area of 126 hectares, roughly the size of 362 football fields, making it one of the largest archaeological investigations ever conducted in Czechia.
At a press conference revealing the initial results, Jan Mařík, director of the Institute of Archaeology at the Czech Academy of Sciences, explained why this work is so essential.
“These findings are important because, had we not recovered them, construction would have destroyed them. People often ask, ‘Why dig them up now? They've been there for a thousand years.’ But if we don’t, we lose them, and with them, a part of our shared history.
“For us, this is an extraordinary opportunity to trace how the landscape evolved over thousands of years, from the earliest farmers to the present day.”
Though the sheer volume of new information makes it hard to highlight a single find, Mařík says one theme stands out: continuous human presence since the Neolithic.
“We’ve documented a remarkable line of settlements along the Říčany stream, offering insight into life during the Roman era. Finds also reach back to the Late Neolithic, including a large cemetery. Genetic samples from these remains reveal clues about mobility, diet, agriculture, and how people interacted with their environment, including shifts in climate.”
Despite the public unveiling, the work is far from over. More than 1,500 banana boxes full of artefacts still need to be catalogued.
The first phase of analysis and classification will take three years, with funding already secured. After that, the materials will be available for future study, says Mr. Mařík:
“We’ve uncovered artefacts from across the ancient world: Roman coins minted in Rome, amber from the Baltic Sea, and glass beads likely originating from the Syro-Palestinian region. These finds highlight the far-reaching trade networks and cultural connections that existed even in prehistoric times. Through provenance analysis, we can trace their origins more precisely and better understand the movement of goods and ideas across ancient Europe and the Mediterranean.”
Construction on this section of the Prague Ring Road began in December and is expected to be completed before Christmas 2027, easing traffic in southeastern Prague while revealing long-buried secrets of the past.
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