Archaeologists have revealed an ancient wall, likely dating back to the Iron Age, at the Cast dos Mouros archaeological site on Ons Island, in northwestern Spain, in a discovery that could change previous interpretations regarding the development of human settlement on the island and its stages of expansion beyond fortified areas.
The government of the Spanish Galicia region stated, in a joint statement with the University of Vigo published on its website yesterday Monday, that the discovery came during excavation works at the site located in the Pontevedra region, where researchers found the wall beneath occupation layers dating to the Roman period, in an area where previous excavations had only revealed Roman remains.
The statement clarified that archaeological work has been underway at the site since 2021, under the supervision of the Archaeology, Antiquity and Territories Studies Group at the University of Vigo, in cooperation with regional authorities. Recent excavations indicated the presence of a Roman building in the area, while the older wall located beneath it suggests the possibility that this space was used before the arrival of the Romans or during earlier stages of local settlement history.
The discovery gains importance as it may help reassess the boundaries of settlement during the Iron Age, as previous evidence indicated that the population was concentrated within fortifications, before human activity expanded to adjacent lowlands during the Roman period. However, determining the age, function, and relationship of the wall with other structures requires completing the excavation and study.
Excavation works also included a central terrace at the site, where the number of houses identified by researchers increased to five, indicating a density of settlement in this area during the Iron Age. They also observed within one of the houses a structure that is likely a central hearth, along with other stone elements whose function is still under investigation.
Results from previous archaeological campaigns indicate that the site experienced successive stages of settlement spanning approximately nine centuries. Additionally, remains of Roman structures associated with fish salting were found near Canixol beach, providing evidence of the exploitation of marine resources and economic activities known in the region.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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