Excavations in the Black Forest have revealed a series of rare silver-gilded antler masks dating to the late Iron Age. Unlike utilitarian tools, these masks show evidence of being mounted on wooden frames for use in theatrical or ritualistic performances. Found at the bottom of a sacred spring, the masks are believed to be the primary regalia for a "Forest-King" festival, where participants enacted the symbolic death and rebirth of the woods at the end of winter.
The use of silver gilding on the antlers is unique for this period in Germany, suggesting that the participants were of high social status or that the ritual was of paramount community importance. The presence of hazelwood charcoal nearby suggests that large bonfires were central to these celebrations, serving to light the way for the masked "Forest-King" to descend from the hills into the village settlements.