eng
Українська
русский
Polski

3000-year-old burial stele found in Spain: sheds light on rituals of distant ancestors

Maria Tsikhotska

3000-year-old burial stele found in Spain: sheds light on rituals of distant ancestors
Burial stele. Source: Heritage Daily.

In the Spanish city of Cañaveral de Leon, where the ancient complex of Las Capellanías is located, which has been keeping its secrets for over 3,000 years, a team of archaeologists made an amazing discovery - they unearthed a decorated stele that reveals previously unknown rituals of ancient ancestors. The discovery was part of the Maritime Encounters project, which involved archaeologists from the University of Gothenburg, Durham University, the University of Seville, and the University of Southampton.

This is reported by Heritage Daily.

A decorated stele was discovered at the site, which is the third in the world and the second to be found in its original historical environment. This is a spectacular ancient stone signpost.

In ancient Iberia, such stelae were used as territorial markers for funerary monuments and to mark natural paths that connected two large river basins, similar to ancient highways. These stelae served as "you are here" markers for travelers crossing this ancient landscape.

In the Late Prehistoric period, these pathways became key communication "highways" between the middle Guadiana and lower Guadalquivir basins.

These stelae not only pointed the way, but also had a deep cultural significance associated with the funerary rites of the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age in the Iberian region. They probably reflected something similar to the roadside memorials we see today, honoring those who have passed away.

Read also: In Norway, a family accidentally found a 1200-year-old Viking grave with jewelry in their yard (photo)

Interestingly, Las Capellanias is not the only place where stelae have been found. Similar stone "markers" were discovered in Hernán Pérez in the north of Cáceres, Spain, and are now part of the collection of the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid. This indicates the existence of a common cultural tradition in the use of these stelae in funerary complexes.

The stele found in Cañaveral de Leon is different from its counterparts. It has features that are associated with the depiction of women, such as a necklace or headdress, but at the same time has features that are associated with warriors, such as swords and other symbols. This stele breaks down traditional gender associations.

The researchers believe that the social roles depicted on these stelae were more flexible than previously thought and were not limited to rigid gender patterns.

As a reminder, an ancient Greek helmet was discovered in Italy at the site of sacrifices to Athena

If you want to get the latest news about the war and events in Ukraine, subscribe to our Telegram channel!