They discover an engraving with scenes of warriors in a Tartessian site

An archaeological investigation has led to the discovery of scenes of warriors from the 6th and 5th centuries BC engraved on a slate plaque at the Tartessian site of Casas del Turuñuelo, in Guareña, Badajoz, Spain.

The archaeological work carried out during the VI Excavation Campaign at the Casas del Turuñuelo archaeological site has revealed, among the numerous material found, a slate plaque measuring about 20 centimeters engraved on both sides where several motifs can be identified. It combines drawing exercises with the continuous repetition of faces or geometric figures and a combat scene in which three characters interact. The first indications suggest that this unique piece in peninsular archeology would serve as support for the craftsman when engraving motifs on pieces of gold, ivory or wood. The new campaign has also made it possible to discover the location of the east door that gives access to the Stairs of the Stairs, where it was excavated in 2023, and known for the discovery of the first figurative reliefs of Tartessos.

The team from the Institute of Archeology of Mérida (IAM), a joint center of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Government of Extremadura, in Spain, directed by Esther Rodríguez González and Sebastián Celestino Pérez, is responsible for these archaeological excavations that They were already in the news for the discovery of the largest animal sacrifice in the western Mediterranean and for the discovery of the first human representations of Tartessos.

In a press conference held recently, the CSIC team of experts highlighted the importance of the slate plaque discovered, which shows four individuals who have been identified as warriors, given the clothing that decorates them and the weapons they carry.

Although the piece must be the subject of study, the first indications indicate that it is a goldsmith’s slate, a material that would serve as support for the craftsman when engraving the motifs designed on pieces of gold, ivory or wood. “This discovery represents a unique example in peninsular archeology and brings us closer to the knowledge of the artisanal processes in Tartessos, invisible until now, at the same time that it allows us to complete our knowledge about the clothing, weapons or headdresses of the characters. represented, since details proliferate in them,” says Esther Rodríguez. This documentation complements the discovery made in the last campaign, where the documentation of several faces allowed, for the first time, to admire how the society of the 6th century BC to the 5th century BC wore its jewels.

Carved slate plate from the 6th century BC or 5th century BC, found in the Tartessian site Casas del Turuñuelo (left) and image of three digitally silhouetted figures on the front face of the plaque (right). (Images: E. Rodríguez / M. Luque / CSIC)

The east gate

The discovery of the east door of the building, located in the center of a monumental façade more than three meters high, confirms, according to the research team and in accordance with the nature of the documented architectural remains, the main access to the building in its eastern end, which still has its two construction floors standing. The door connects the stands room with an extensive patio paved with slates in front of which is a cobbled hallway. This corridor separates the main body of the building with a set of rooms in which interesting batches of materials have been extracted.

Likewise, the archaeological materials discovered in the adjoining rooms located in front of said access allow us to point out that it is the production area or artisan area of ​​the building. This unique context will allow us to understand in depth the productive processes of the First Iron Age in the southwest of the peninsula.

Four excavated spaces

In total, four spaces have been identified in which the excavation has allowed us to find lots of ceramics, distinguishing miniature ceramic containers, ceramics with incised decoration, various iron tools, a lot of ivories and a set of loom weights in the process of being made. manufacturing that once again demonstrates the existence of a textile craft in this enclave. This evidence was already highlighted after the documentation of textile remains, such as the linen and wool fragments documented in previous campaigns and which represent unique examples of peninsular archaeology.

The discovery of the door allows us to close one of the milestones that this research group had marked to better understand the spatial organization of the monument and the true function it played. Equally relevant is the discovery of the exterior rooms dedicated to different crafts, allowing us to enter into social issues that were very unknown at this time and delving deeper into the figure of the craftsman in Tarteso. Each new revelation represents an advance in the interpretation of this culture, which in turn further consolidates the significance it had in the Guadiana Valley during its last moments.

“Our efforts will now focus on studying the recovered remains, both the reliefs of the faces and the ivories. Regarding the archaeological work at the site, our goal for the next campaign is to delimit those production areas that seem to extend, at least, along the entire eastern side of the site. In parallel, we will begin to open the rooms that flank the main space, which have an excellent degree of conservation and can help us define the functionality of the building,” concludes Sebastián Celestino.

The Casas del Turuñuelo site is located in the Las Vegas Altas del Guadiana region, near the mouth of the Búrdalo River. In 2015, its first excavation campaign began and, currently, the research staff is immersed in the sixth, where the discovery of the east door of the building is framed. Its uniqueness is based especially on its excellent state of conservation, which makes it possible to document construction techniques and architectural solutions that, to date, had not been documented in a Tartessian site. (Source: CSIC)