Angela
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The archaeologists are also positing that the ritual slaughter of the horses at this Tartessian site in Extremadura around the fifth century BC was part of the intentional destruction of their sanctuary and abandonment of the site on the eve of the arrival of Celtic speaking tribes.
I've never heard of this. Perhaps others can chime in.
See:
https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blog...g-uncovers-16-horses.html#cjllXzkWrsYhEyeP.97
"In the fifth century before the Christian era, there was a massive two-story building standing here, in the demarcation of Las Vegas del Guadiana, in Badajoz province. The building – the first surviving one of its kind from that era to be discovered – had a monumental staircase rising two-and-a-half meters. And it was made with materials and techniques that researchers thought had not been in use in the Western Mediterranean until much later."
"Half of the steps were made by stacking up large, rectangular blocks, but the builders did not use hewn stone as the Greeks did. Instead, they used a mortar made with calcium oxide and powdered granite, which was probably poured into molds, in something like an early form of cement. Except that this took place a full century before the first documented cement-like material, opus caementicium, began to be used in the Roman Empire."
Half of the steps were made by stacking up large, rectangular blocks, but the builders did not use hewn stone as the Greeks did. Instead, they used a mortar made with calcium oxide and powdered granite, which was probably poured into molds, in something like an early form of cement. Except that this took place a full century before the first documented cement-like material, opus caementicium, began to be used in the Roman Empire."
"To one side of this astounding staircase, archaeologists found the bodies of two horses placed in an anatomical position, wearing all of their apparel, which clearly suggests a ritual sacrifice: these animals were a sign of luxury at the time, and not killed for food. On the other side of the staircase, however, there are the remains of a cow, which dwellers apparently feasted on.
All of the above had investigators positing that there was a great celebration held at the site, right before the building was destroyed. However, the discoveries did not end there. At the foot of the staircase the archaeologists discovered the remains of 16 horses, two bulls and a pig, all of which tell the story of a costly sacrifice as a ritual of closure before the final destruction of the sanctuary.
"The sacrifice consisted of a great offering to the gods before finally leaving the place", explains Celestino. "It gives an idea of the enormous wealth of the site, because the horse was an element of prestige. In addition to the numerous animals that have been slaughtered and the discovery at the site of numerous amphorae and baskets with cereals and other items of great value, we get some idea of the importance of this final sacrifice prior to the destruction of the monument and its subsequent abandonment."
""Equally striking", says Celestino, "was the discovery of a complete regalia for the celebration of a communal feast in the south room. It is a set of very good quality wares, among which stands out a huge cauldron, two jars, a grill, several skewers for the meat, a burner, strainers and other types of utensils... all made in bronze. There were also a large number of plates and cups painted with red bands imitating Greek wares. In the surroundings of the room were many bones and shells resulting from the final feast."
Most of the buildings from the era were located in the middle valley of the Guadiana River, an area that went through a deep economic crisis in the 6th century BC, then sustained large waves of immigration emanating from the central nucleus of Tartessos on the Guadalquivir, in modern-day Huelva.
In the late 5th or early 4th century, faced with the imminent arrival of Celtic tribes from the north, the local residents decided to raze their own buildings rather than watch them get pillaged by the invaders."
This seems like an awful lot of conjecture to me.
I've never heard of this. Perhaps others can chime in.
See:
https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blog...g-uncovers-16-horses.html#cjllXzkWrsYhEyeP.97
"In the fifth century before the Christian era, there was a massive two-story building standing here, in the demarcation of Las Vegas del Guadiana, in Badajoz province. The building – the first surviving one of its kind from that era to be discovered – had a monumental staircase rising two-and-a-half meters. And it was made with materials and techniques that researchers thought had not been in use in the Western Mediterranean until much later."
"Half of the steps were made by stacking up large, rectangular blocks, but the builders did not use hewn stone as the Greeks did. Instead, they used a mortar made with calcium oxide and powdered granite, which was probably poured into molds, in something like an early form of cement. Except that this took place a full century before the first documented cement-like material, opus caementicium, began to be used in the Roman Empire."
Half of the steps were made by stacking up large, rectangular blocks, but the builders did not use hewn stone as the Greeks did. Instead, they used a mortar made with calcium oxide and powdered granite, which was probably poured into molds, in something like an early form of cement. Except that this took place a full century before the first documented cement-like material, opus caementicium, began to be used in the Roman Empire."
"To one side of this astounding staircase, archaeologists found the bodies of two horses placed in an anatomical position, wearing all of their apparel, which clearly suggests a ritual sacrifice: these animals were a sign of luxury at the time, and not killed for food. On the other side of the staircase, however, there are the remains of a cow, which dwellers apparently feasted on.
All of the above had investigators positing that there was a great celebration held at the site, right before the building was destroyed. However, the discoveries did not end there. At the foot of the staircase the archaeologists discovered the remains of 16 horses, two bulls and a pig, all of which tell the story of a costly sacrifice as a ritual of closure before the final destruction of the sanctuary.
"The sacrifice consisted of a great offering to the gods before finally leaving the place", explains Celestino. "It gives an idea of the enormous wealth of the site, because the horse was an element of prestige. In addition to the numerous animals that have been slaughtered and the discovery at the site of numerous amphorae and baskets with cereals and other items of great value, we get some idea of the importance of this final sacrifice prior to the destruction of the monument and its subsequent abandonment."
""Equally striking", says Celestino, "was the discovery of a complete regalia for the celebration of a communal feast in the south room. It is a set of very good quality wares, among which stands out a huge cauldron, two jars, a grill, several skewers for the meat, a burner, strainers and other types of utensils... all made in bronze. There were also a large number of plates and cups painted with red bands imitating Greek wares. In the surroundings of the room were many bones and shells resulting from the final feast."
Most of the buildings from the era were located in the middle valley of the Guadiana River, an area that went through a deep economic crisis in the 6th century BC, then sustained large waves of immigration emanating from the central nucleus of Tartessos on the Guadalquivir, in modern-day Huelva.
In the late 5th or early 4th century, faced with the imminent arrival of Celtic tribes from the north, the local residents decided to raze their own buildings rather than watch them get pillaged by the invaders."
This seems like an awful lot of conjecture to me.