Celtic-Iron Age Necropolis of Pintia
SPAIN -
- This project is examining the following period[s] : Iron Age, Roman
Project Details:
The University of Valladolid’s archaeological team at the Celtic-Iron Age necropolis and Roman settlement of Pintia has chosen ArchaeoSpain to organize international student crews to join its team this summer.
The excavation focuses on the Vaccean necropolis and city walls. The Vaccean culture was an Iron Age people with Celtic links that settled in north-central Spain around the 5th century BC. The cemetery, located about 300 meters (984 feet) from the main settlement, was used between the 4th century BC and the 1st century.
Up to 2004, archaeologists had uncovered about 70 cremation tombs. Since then we have opened around 130 more, including warriors, women and children. Research in this area and the study of the war-related and culturally related artifacts are helping investigators understand the social organization of these pre-Roman peoples.
In 2007 and 2008 teams uncovered around 50 cremation tombs, the majority dating to between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. Around 500 funerary artifacts were found, and of those 100 came from a single burial of two girls. Our most important find was Tomb #153 and its 115 grave goods, including some unique ceramic copies of jewelry.
In 2009, Pintia crews excavated 44 tombs containing around 600 man-made artifacts. In one section around 100 giant limestone slabs (some weighing nearly a metric ton) covered the tombs, which protected them from subsequent farming and left the funerary jars and grave goods in excellent condition. The artifacts recovered included daggers, broaches, spear points, grills, knives, tongs, tweezers, shaving blades and necklaces.
And over the past three seasons, we uncovered around 35 tombs, including a spot that may have served for the cremations. We also found the first Celtiberian coin minted in Navarra, plus one grave in perfect condition with artifacts such as a ceramic tripod, a double-bellied ceramic bottle and a bronze belt buckle inside a funerary urn.
This coming summer the plan is to excavate a new area in the necropolis.
Project
website: www.archaeospain.com/pintia
(opens in new window)- Project
facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Archaeospain
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Director/
Project Organiser: Dr. Carlos Sanz, University of Valladolid 
Organisation
or Institution: University of Valladolid and ArchaeoSpain 
Email
Contact: programs@archaeospain.com
Field-School
Participants will reside at the site's research facilities in the small town of Padilla de Duero for the duration of the program.
Our crew will share a large, dorm-style room with bunk beds, with adjacent bathrooms and showers. All bedding is provided.
The facilities are co-ed.
Food will be prepared by a local cook and meals will be eaten in the research facility's dining room. We will have a mid-work snack on site.
