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Vitrified Walls in the Iron Age of Western Iberia: New Research from an Archaeometric Perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2018

Luis Berrocal-Rangel Open the ORCID record for Luis Berrocal-Rangel [Opens in a new window] ,
Rosario García-Giménez Open the ORCID record for Rosario García-Giménez [Opens in a new window] ,
Lucía Ruano Open the ORCID record for Lucía Ruano [Opens in a new window]  and
Raquel Vigil de la Villa Open the ORCID record for Raquel Vigil de la Villa [Opens in a new window]
Luis Berrocal-Rangel
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Rosario García-Giménez
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Geochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Lucía Ruano
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Raquel Vigil de la Villa
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Geochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
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Abstract

The phenomenon of Iron Age vitrified ramparts has become increasingly recognisable in the last twenty years in the Iberian Peninsula. After the first walls with vitrified stones were discovered in southern Portugal, there have been several findings scattered throughout western Iberia. A chronological sequence from the Late Bronze Age to the Late Iron Age can be established on the basis of the archaeological remains, with reference to different historical and functional conditions. This article reviews the data obtained from the various sites, in order to understand the context in which the stone structures became vitrified. Furthermore, we have analysed samples of stones and mud bricks that have been altered by fire from these sites, which has allowed us to explain the variability in the archaeological record in relation to different historical processes. With all these data, we aim to contribute to our knowledge of a phenomenon that is widespread in Iron Age Europe.

Au cours des vingt dernières années, le phénomène des remparts vitrifiés de l’âge du Fer a été reconnu de plus en plus manifestement dans la pninsule Ibérique. Après la découverte des premiers murs contenant des pierres vitrifiées dans le sud du Portugal, plusieurs sites dispersés à travers l'Ibérie occidentale ont été identifiés. Nous avons pu établir une séquence chronologique allant de la fin de l’âge du Bronze à l’âge du Fer récent sur la base des données archéologiques et en nous référant aux différentes circonstances historiques et fonctionnelles. Notre article utilise les données provenant de divers sites pour mieux comprendre les causes de la vitrification des structures en pierre. De plus, nous avons analysé des échantillons de pierres et de briques crues modifiées par l'action du feu provenant de ces sites, ce qui nous a permis d’évaluer le rapport existant entre les différents processus historiques et les différences observées dans le matériel archéologique. Toutes ces données servent à faire progresser notre compréhension d'un phénomène largement répandu en Europe celtique. Translation by Madeleine Hummler

Nachdem die ersten verschlackten Steinwälle zunächst im Süden Portugals entdeckt wurden, streuen neuere Entdeckungen quer über das westliche Iberien. Die archäologischen Zeugnisse erlauben es, eine chronologische Abfolge von der Spätbronzezeit bis in die späte Eisenzeit zu erstellen, mit zeitspezifisch unterschiedlichen technischen und historischen Deutungen. Der vorliegende Beitrag nimmt die Daten von verschiedenen Fundstellen in den Blick, mit dem Ziel, den jeweiligen Kontext, in dem die Verschlackung dieser Strukturen erfolgte, besser zu verstehen. Eine Reihe von verschlackten Steinen und Lehmziegeln von den betreffenden Fundstellen wurde analysiert, was es uns gestattet, die im archäologischen Befundbestand vorhandene Variabilität mit Bezug auf unterschiedlichen historischen Prozessen zu erklären. Auf Grundlage dieser Daten ist es unser Ziel, zu einer besseren Kenntnis dieses in Europa weit verbreiteten Phänomens beizutragen.

Keywords

vitrificationIberian Peninsulaarchaeometryrampartshillfortsfortificationsvitrificationpéninsule ibériquearchéométrierempartssites de hauteurfortificationsVerschlackungIberische HalbinselArchäometrieSchlackenwälleRingwälleBefestigungen
Type
Article
Information
European Journal of Archaeology , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , May 2019 , pp. 185 - 209
Copyright
Copyright © European Association of Archaeologists 2018 

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