German archeologists displayed a newly-discovered statue of a Celtic prince Wednesday, calling it one of the most important archaeological finds in Europe in decades.

The 6-foot, 500-pound sandstone statue, in near perfect condition, is believed to be 2,500 years old. It was discovered June 24 at a Celtic grave site near Glauburg, northeast of Frankfurt.

“Until now, we didn’t know that the Celts could build statues of this size and refinement,” said Hesse state archeologist Fritz-Rudolf Herrmann.

The figure, wearing carved armor and a laurel wreath crown, is holding a sword and shield. Only the feet are missing.

The statue is believed to depict the ruler of the Celtic tribe that lived on a small hill near present-day Glauburg. Previous finds at the site, dating from about 500 B.C., indicate several thousand Celts lived in a fortified city there.