News about Pintia Project

First week of the XXXVIII International Course

Mo 07/15/2019

The first week of the XXXVIII International Course, which began last Monday 8th of July, has already passed. That day we received the students at the Madrid-Barajas airport and at the CEVFW headquarters and we made a visit to Las Pinzas hill and its medieval hermitages. After a brief prologue on the basic techniques of field Archaeology, on Tuesday we started working on the excavation in the necropolis of Las Ruedas, at the same time that we began to introduce the students to the knowledge of the Vaccean ethnic group in the context of the Peninsular Iron Age with the first theoretical seminars. On board of canoes, on Thursday we visited the gorges of the Duratón River and we spent the day in contact with nature, fascinated by the fabulous scenery that surrounded us. The rest of the week continued with the field work at the site and the first approach to the materials processing and the Osteology area.

As for results, numerous metal and ceramic fragments have appeared, and a large amount of skeletal remains. The great fragmentation and dispersion of the various materials indicate that the sectors intervened have been greatly altered by the action of the plow and the plunderers over time. Even so, we have found some very interesting pieces and on Saturday the first signs of tombs appeared, although they were very deteriorated. In the easternmost sector we have not yet reached the level of the sterile terrace, located at greater depth, so it is very likely that we find some deposits in better condition.

Below we leave some images of the activities developed during this first week of the course and the first materials appeared.