The ancient town of ''La Hoya'' (
Biasteri,
Alava,
Basque Country
Basque Country may refer to:
* Basque Country (autonomous community), as used in Spain ( es, País Vasco, link=no), also called , an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain (shown in pink on the map)
* French Basque Country o ...
) is an important archaeological site of the
Bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
and
Iron Ages of the Basque Country and nearby areas of
Spain.
The fortified town was inhabited between the 15th and 3rd centuries BCE and occupies four
hectares. It has three levels:
* Middle-Late Bronze Age: in this early period, the fortifications, as well the houses, were all made of
wood.
* Early-Middle Iron Age: construction became more complex using mixed formulas with stone, wood and
adobe
Adobe ( ; ) is a building material made from earth and organic materials. is Spanish for ''mudbrick''. In some English-speaking regions of Spanish heritage, such as the Southwestern United States, the term is used to refer to any kind of e ...
. Most houses were near the wall in this period.
* Late Iron Age, with a cultural context that some classify as ''
Celtiberian'', shows important changes in urbanization: with paved streets and plazas that form a reticular structure. The wall is also rebuilt on stone. This final period also shows great advancement in the technologies: potter's wheel, elaborated blacksmithing, etc.
The successive layers of rubble, that served as cimentations for further edification, make up a small
tell 3 meters high.
The town was destroyed violently c. 300 BCE, leaving the remains of the people and their quotidian tools in the streets.
References
External links
Euskonews: ''La Hoya (Laguardia, Alava): Un poblado fortificado del primer milenio a.c.''. Article by Armando Llanos.Auñamendi Encyclopedia: ''La Hoya''
Basque history
Prehistoric Europe
Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in Álava
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