Stradonice

the remains of an ancient fortified settlement measuring 82 hectares in area, near the city of Beroun, Czechoslovakia; named for a nearby village. From the end of the first millennium B.C. to the beginning of the Common Era, Stradonice was a major trade and craft center for Celtic tribes. Situated on a high promontory on the right bank of the Berounka River, the site is still surrounded by a stone wall built without mortar, measuring 2.5 m in width. After 200 gold coins were discovered at the site in 1877, Stradonice was subject to several random excavations. An important trade center, it had a foundry, a forge, a jeweler’s workshop, and a potter’s shop. Many Roman and Celtic coins have been found at the site. In addition to practicing handicrafts and engaging in trade with Rome and its provinces, the people of Stradonice grew crops and raised cattle.