- Chapter Twenty-Eight -
The castros in the region of Avila also exhibit radical changes. Generally the
fortifications are dated to the fifth century Be. But while Sanchorreja was deserted
around 400 Be, La Cogotas, for example, continued to flourish, as is shown by the
extension of the settlement.
Similar upheavals are recognizable in the cemeteries of the eastern Meseta: some
burial-grounds are abandoned, but new ones are laid out, such as Osma, Gormaz,
Carratiermes (all Soria) and Luzaga (Guadalajara). Many finely decorated weapons
and personal ornaments in the graves bear witness to specialized craftworking.
The settlements expand in the course of the later Iron Age. Numantia (Soria) had
a planned street pattern and was urban in character by the time of the Roman
conquest (r33 Be). This urbanization developed from contacts with the Iberian
area.
From the fifth century Be onwards, finds occur in the area of the Meseta cultures,
which point to relationships with the cultures of Hallstatt and La Tene in central
Europe: for example the many varieties of foot-decorated fibulae have good parallels
in eastern France (Figure 28.5 nos. r-2). Similarly, the so-called symmetrical fibulae
clearly originate in fibulae with double masks and double bird-heads (Figure 28.5,
no. 3), as is the case with the other fibulae of La Tene form. As well as specimens
with parallels in central Europe (Figures 28.5, no. 4 and 28.6, no. 3), many variants
emerge in the course of time, which are typical of the Celtiberian area (Figure 28.5,
nos. 5-7).
The first La Tene swords with associated scabbards appear in the Meseta during
the fourth century Be (Figure 28. 6, nos. r-2). Connections with the La Tene culture
can also be found in ornamentation: silver-inlaid antenna-hilted daggers are embell-
ished in a style which adopted elements of the 'Waldalgesheim Style' (Figure 28.7,
no. I). Torques and fibulae of precious metal were still produced in the La Tene
character during the first century Be (Figure 28.5, no. 8).
While the bulk of the objects mentioned are distributed throughout the whole
Meseta, as for example the symmetrical fibulae, some were concentrated in the upper
reaches of the rivers Douro and Jal6n (Figure 28.8). Certain things come from here
which were undoubtedly produced in the La Tene area: two openwork belt-hooks,
which had been later reworked to match a set of Iberian belt-plates (Figure 28.9, nos.
2-3). Such conversion can also be recognized on many sword sheaths. These still
have the strap-shaped suspension loop from which the swords were suspended
vertically on the belt, as was usual with Celtic swords, but possess two fittings which
were added in order to facilitate carriage of the swords diagonally, as in the case of
the Celtiberian daggers and slashing-swords (Figure 28.6, no. I). Finally, in this
region, a group of fibulae can be found which possess a genuine La Tene spring;
all the other fibulae are either of composite construction or have an internal spiral.
This is precisely the region which was settled by Celtiberians according to the
testimony of ancient authors (see Figure 28.r). Yet the archaeological picture cannot
be compared with the Celtic migration to Italy or to east-central Europe. Thus, there
is a complete lack of flat inhumation lZemeteries and the typical La Tene grave
goods. A key to the understanding of the Celtic influences here might be supplied
by an examination of the social structure of the iron age population, which can be
determined on the basis of grave finds.