Chao Samartín

Grandas, Spain

Chao Samartín is a Castro located in the municipality of Grandas. It was founded in the Bronze Age, around the year 800 BCE.

The beginnings of this fortified village lay toward the end of the Bronze Age (about 3,000 years ago); the first defenses are from this period, a moat and a palisade that surround a sacred enclosure with an entrance preceded by some large rocks. Inside a building was located that is quite large for its era (some 60 m²).

Already in the Iron Age the inhabited area of the castro started to grow considerably. In the 4th century. the defenses existed of a wall and several moats that in their interior contained dwellings of circular and rectangular plan with rounded corners. These dwellings had one room and a roof of plant materials. The only entrance to the village was from the south through a large gate over a moat. The inhabitants were farmers, prepared foods in ceramic pots and pans and used tools of iron, copper, silver, and gold, as is shown by the objects that have been found at this location. In this era, the first sauna in this castro was built.

With the arrival of the Roman Empire, a period of peace and prosperity began that altered the defensive character of the hill fort because the inhabitants started to take advantage of the fact that nearby several gold mines were found. Their prosperity came to a halt when the settlement was suddenly abandoned after an earthquake taking place toward the 2nd Century AD.

Excavation of the castro were begun in 1990 and there is still a large part of the village hidden under the soil that has not been studied yet. Investigations showed that the settlement was suddenly abandoned, which is explained by findings of many tools, jewelry, and other objects of value that pertain to the Roman Period.

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Details

Founded: 800 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Spain

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Miguel Martínez Serrano (13 months ago)
A museum with a lot of valuable pieces. Federico has explained to us the castro and Roman domus in an excellent way. Thank you! Totally recommended ??
Mario Fernández (2 years ago)
Very nice place to understand the way of life of the locals, especially between the 3rd century BC. and II AD of whose time they conserve many utensils. A very charming place if you are interested in the pre-Roman way of life. Very good explanations of the guides, to highlight for me the geostrategic position and the mixture of Celtiberian-Roman cultures
Ricardo Joseph (2 years ago)
Very interesting museum. It has a great variety of pieces from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. The receptionist was very friendly. Right now it is not possible to do the guided tour of the castro because they are doing maintenance and improvement works. Whether you come to visit the area or if you are doing the Camino Primitivo, it is well worth a visit.
Zenaida Tasis (3 years ago)
Small but intense museum. It treasures remains of the castro very well preserved and very beautiful pieces. The place is awesome. Close attention and very friendly by the staff. A new excavation is currently underway and the castro area cannot be visited. Still, it's worth it. Incredible environment.
Ricardo Chao Prieto (4 years ago)
It is a museum that is taking its first steps. It needs funding and initiative from the administrations. The palloza is very good with ethnographic elements and traditional life, although a better organization of the explanatory posters and references to the language of the Furniella / Fornela valley is missing. And that all the labels of the implements were with his name in furniello / fornelo.
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