- The Celts zn Spain -
Figure 28.4 The castro of Yecla de Yeltes, Salamanca. (With kind permision of R. Martin Valls,
University of Salamanca.)
north of the provinces of Palancia and Burgos; it is named after a major cremation
cemetery. The hilltop settlements here are also fortified.
In Avila and Salamanca, the Castros Mesa de Miranda near La Osera and Las
Cogotas date to this period. The hilltop settlements are associated with cremation
cemeteries. They are arranged in zones and, in the case of La Osera, are partly
covered by round or oval stone structures. Here, and also further to the west, the so-
called verracos occur, granite sculptures in the shape of boars and bulls, which played
an important role in the cult of the pre-Roman population (Lopez Monteagudo
I9 8 9)·
The transition from the earlier to the later Iron Age is characterized first by the
omnipresent use of iron in the production of weapons and tools and, second, by
the emergence of wheel-turned pottery. But the two innovations did not appear at the
same time: iron was used as a material everywhere from around 500 Be; wheel-turned
pottery began to be made IOO years later. Only then was there a fully developed
Celtiberian culture.
Numerous 'Sorianos' castros, as mentioned above, were deserted around 400 Be.
On the other hand, new settlements were established, which were no longer situated
at great heights, but still retained their fortifying walls. The economy was predomi-
nantly based on agriculture. Metallurgy, in particular iron-processing, became
important. It has long been assumed that it was above all the iron deposits at
Moncayo (Soria) which were now being exploited.
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