The Cantabrian stelae are monolithic stone disks of different sizes, whose early precedents were carved in the last centuries before the

romanization Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, a ...

Cantabria Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a historic community, in its current Statute of Autonomy. It is bordered on the east ...

in northern

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...

. Cantabrian stelae include swastikas,

triskele A triskelion or triskeles is an ancient motif consisting of a triple spiral exhibiting rotational symmetry. The spiral design can be based on interlocking Archimedean spirals, or represent three bent human legs. It is found in artefacts of ...

cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...

es, spirals,

helix A helix () is a shape like a corkscrew or spiral staircase. It is a type of smooth space curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is formed as two intertwined helic ...

es, warriors or pre-Roman funerary representations among their usual ornamentation. The most famous is called ''Estela de Barros'' (Barros Stele) which can be visited in the ''Parque de las Estelas'' (Stelae Park) in the town of Barros, in

Los Corrales de Buelna Los Corales de Buelna is a municipality in Cantabria Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a historic community, in its ...

. This stele is part of the current

coat of arms of Cantabria The coat of arms of Cantabria has a rectangular shield, round in base (also called ''Spanish shield'' in heraldry) and the field is ''party en fess''. In field azure, a tower or crenellated and masoned, port and windows azure, to its right a shi ...

and the meaning of tetraskelion would be related to solar worship. The Barros stele giant size represents the main difference to the smaller stelae found in other parts of northern

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. In addition to the ''Estela de Barros'', we can see another larger, fragmented stele in the ''Parque de las Estelas''. Other found stelae are exhibited in the Regional Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria in

Santander Santander may refer to: Places * Santander, Spain, a port city and capital of the autonomous community of Cantabria, Spain * Santander Department, a department of Colombia * Santander State, former state of Colombia * Santander de Quilichao, a m ...

. There are two stelae found in Lombera, another found in Zurita, showing the iconographic decoration of a vulture pouncing on a fallen warrior, and another from near the

Cantabri The Cantabri ( grc-gre, Καντάβροι, ''Kantabroi'') or Ancient Cantabrians, were a pre-Roman people and large tribal federation that lived in the northern coastal region of ancient Iberia in the second half of the first millennium BC. Thes ...

castrum In the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a po ...

of Espina del Gallego. In turn, fragments of other Cantabrian stelae have been found, like the third of Lombera and the Stele of San Vicente de Toranzo, where on one side is depicted a cantabrian warrior on horseback, along with other smaller. The Cantabrian stelae are the most important testimony of the

pre-Roman people and one of the most representative symbols of Cantabria today, being still used in Cantabria during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

and even during the Baroque, like the old ones, but losing partly the discoid shape and replacing the solar motives with crosses. The medieval and modern discoid stelae were also typical of other regions of northern Spain. Numerous examples were found in the Basque Country, and several in

Navarra Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

, as well as in Cantabria.

Current impact

A modern interpretation of these stelae and the Roman flag, ''Cantabrum'', gives rise to the current Cantabrian lábaru, an unofficial flag but widely used among Cantabrian people. In the same way, stonemasons and artists from many parts of Cantabria reproduce ancient stelae or create new ones like those, carved in stone or wood, sometimes used as ornaments for new constructions. Similarly stelae reproductions, in wood or metal, are commonly found in pendants and small figures, all of which give an idea of the importance as a Cantabrian symbol.

Cantabrian stelae of Roman and pre-Roman times

Although the ancient

people produced many stelae, the best known are the giant stelae, of which five are known, four of them having been discovered in the

valley of Buelna A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...

. They are usually dated from the 1st century B.C. to 1st century A.D., although there are differences between them, and some could even be 5th or 6th century B.C.

References

External links

Cantabrian stelae in Cantabria Joven

Cantabrian stelae in Guerras Cántabras
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cantabrian Stelae Steles Cantabrian mythology Cantabrian symbols Cantabrian culture Heraldic charges Archaeological artefact groups