Rare Iron Shackles Unearthed in France Illuminate Celtic Slave Trade

Celtic slave trade revealed by rare iron shackles

Archaeologists in the Loire Valley have announced the discovery of five iron shackles dating to the Late Iron Age, a find that throws fresh light on the Celtic slave trade in pre‑Roman Gaul. The restraints, recovered from the Allonnes settlement, were unearthed during a ↑2,300-year-old context and accompanied by swords, spearheads, horse‑harness fittings and a wealth of bronze artefacts.

Workshop district and slave‑holding evidence

Excavators identified a cluster of specialist workshops – blacksmiths, coppersmiths and sheet‑metal workers – suggesting Allonnes functioned as a production hub. Among the metal finds, a double‑wrist restraint only 6 cm in diameter and an ankle shackle weighing ↓1 kilogram point to the confinement of women or children.

“The presence of restraints alongside weapons indicates a stratified society where dominant groups could imprison subordinates,” said Thierry Lejars, a Celtic metalwork expert.

In addition to the shackles, a sanctuary yielded deliberately mutilated jewelry and clothing, a practice interpreted as offering items to the gods. Over a third of the coins uncovered bore chisel marks, reinforcing the ritual character of the site.

Allonnes sits at the crossroads of ancient routes, making it a logical node for both trade and the movement of captives. The new evidence reshapes our understanding of how slavery operated in Gaul before Roman annexation.

Words by Julian Vance (Senior Global Security Correspondent).