The ''verracos'' (; ; literally 'boar'), in the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

, are the

Vettones The Vettones (Greek language, Greek: ''Ouettones'') were an Prehistoric Iberia#Iron Age, Iron Age pre-Roman people of the Iberian Peninsula. Origins Lujan (2007) concludes that some of the names of the Vettones show clearly Hispano-Celtic lan ...

granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...

megalith A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. More than 35,000 megalithic structures have been identified across Europe, ranging geographically f ...

ic monuments, sculptures of animals as found in the west of the

Iberian Iberian refers to Iberia. Most commonly Iberian refers to: *Someone or something originating in the Iberian Peninsula, namely from Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. The term ''Iberian'' is also used to refer to anything pertaining to the fo ...

'' meseta'' – the high central plain of the

– in the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

provinces of

Ávila Ávila ( , , ) is a Spanish city located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Ávila. It lies on the right bank of the Adaja river. Located more than 1,130 m a ...

Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...

Segovia Segovia ( , , ) is a city in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia. Segovia is located in the Meseta central, Inner Pl ...

, Zamora, Cáceres,

Ourense Ourense (; ) is a city and the capital of the province of province of Ourense, Ourense, located in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, northwestern Spain. It is on the Camino Sanabrés path o ...

and the Portuguese provinces of Beira Baixa,

Beiras e Serra da Estrela The Comunidade Intermunicipal das Beiras e Serra da Estrela () is an administrative division in eastern Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da R ...

Douro The Douro (, , , ; ; ) is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula by discharge. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in the Spanish Soria Province, province of Soria, meanders briefly south, then flows generally west through the northern par ...

and

Terras de Trás-os-Montes The Comunidade Intermunicipal das Terras de Trás-os-Montes (; Mirandese: ''Tierras de Trás ls Montes''; English: ''Lands of Trás-os-Montes'') is an administrative division in northeastern Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Re ...

. Over 400 ''verracos'' have been identified. The Spanish word ''verraco'' normally refers to boars, and the sculptures are sometimes called ''verracos de piedra'' (pigs of stone) to distinguish them from live animals. The stone verracos appear to represent not only pigs but also other animals. Some have been identified as bulls, and the village of

El Oso, Ávila El Oso is a municipality (pop. 229) in the Spanish province of Ávila, in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon. Megalith The village takes its name (which means "the bear") from a megalithic monument outside the church. The monument in quest ...

, named for "the Bear", has a verraco which supposedly represents a bear. Their dates range from the mid-fourth to first centuries BC. There are some similar

zoomorphic The word ''zoomorphism'' derives from and . In the context of art, zoomorphism could describe art that imagines humans as non-human animals. It can also be defined as art that portrays one species of animal like another species of animal or art ...

monument markers in lands of Poland from the same period or older. Though they were perhaps not confined to a single usage, the ''verracos'' were an essential part of the landscape of the

, one of the

Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula This is a list of the pre- Roman people of the Iberian Peninsula (the Roman Hispania, i.e., modern Portugal, Spain and Andorra). Some closely fit the concept of a people, ethnic group or tribe. Others are confederations or even unions of tribe ...

. It has generally been assumed, from their high visibility in their original open fields surroundings, that these sculptures had some protective religious significance, whether guarding the security of livestock or as funerary monuments (some of them bear Latin funerary inscriptions). The ''verracos'' are particularly numerous too in the vicinity of the walled Celtiberian communities that Romans had called ''

oppida An ''oppidum'' (: ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age Europe, Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celts, Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread acros ...

.''

Notable verracos

Portugal

Murça Murça (), officially the Town of Murça (), is a municipality in northern Portugal. The population in 2011 was 5,952, in an area of 189.37 km2. It is situated in the central part of the eastern district of Vila Real, and consigned to the Tr ...

** ''Porca de Murça'' (literally the "Sow of Murça" in Portuguese, although the sculpture appears to represent a boar, i.e. a male rather than a female pig). The name has been taken to designate a red wine of the

district. *

Torre de Dona Chama Torre de Dona Chama is a Portuguese civil parish in the Mirandela Municipality and district of Bragança, in the Trás-os-Montes region of northern Portugal. The population in 2011 was 1,105, in an area of 27.68 km². History Settled prior ...

** ''Berroa'' *

Marvão Marvão (), officially the Very Noble and Ever Loyal Town of Marvão (), is a municipality in Portalegre District in Portugal. The population in 2020 was 2,972 (and dropping at a rate of around one inhabitant per week), in an area of 154.90 ...

** Head of ''berrão'', with right eye clearly visible, found in the Abegoa area of Marvão. Today in Municipal Museum in Marvão.

Spain

Castile and León

= Province of Ávila

= *

Aldea del Rey Niño Aldea is a Spanish word meaning "hamlet" but a popular surname in Serbia. It may refer to: People *Alexander I Aldea (1397–1436), Prince of Wallachia * Aurel Aldea (1887–1949), Romanian general and anti-communist resistance leader * Bogdan Al ...

Arévalo Arévalo is a municipality in Spain, it is situated in the province of Ávila and is part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. The name came from the Celtic word ''arevalon'', meaning "place near the wall." Regional importance The ...

(one verraco in the Palacio del general Vicente de Río) *

(14 verracos from Tornadizos and three found next to

Adaja River The Adaja is a river of Spain located in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, a major left-bank tributary of the Douro. Featuring a total length of 163 km, its river basin drains an area of 5,328 km2. It has its source in the so-called Fuent ...

) *

Cardeñosa Cardeñosa is a municipality located in the province of Ávila A province is an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Rom ...

(Castro of

Las Cogotas Las Cogotas () is an archaeological site in Spain in Cardenosa municipality, province of Avila. The site was researched by the Galician archaeologist Juan Cabré in 1920s. It is namesake for two different archaeological cultures known from th ...

) * Chamartín (five verracos, the best preserved is the

Verraco of the Castro de la Mesa de Miranda The ''verracos'' (; ; literally 'boar'), in the Iberian Peninsula, are the Vettones's granite megalithic monuments, sculptures of animals as found in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Iberian ''Meseta Central, meseta'' – the high central plai ...

) *

Martiherrero Martiherrero is a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2006 census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating po ...

(four verracos) *

Mingorría Mingorría is a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census ( INE), the municipality has a population of 466 inhabitants. The origin of Mingorría is quite obscure; its names has, or it s ...

* Mirueña de los Infanzones (two verracos embedded in a wall of a house) * Narrillos de San Leonardo, Ávila *

El Oso ''El Oso'' (Spanish for ''The Bear'') is the third and final studio album by the New York City band Soul Coughing, released on September 29, 1998, by Slash Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album received generally positive critical recepti ...

(verraco nicknamed "El oso" (''the bear'') and gives name to the town) * San Miguel de Serrezuela (today in ''El Torreón de los Guzmanes'' in the city of Ávila) *

Santa María del Arroyo Santa María del Arroyo is a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2006 census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calc ...

( Verraco of Santa María del Arroyo) * Santo Domingo de las Posadas (one verraco) * Solosancho (two verracos,

Castro de Ulaca Castro is a Romance language word that originally derived from Latin ''castrum'', a pre-Roman military camp or fortification (cf: Greek: ''kastron''; Proto-Celtic:''*Kassrik;'' ). The English-language equivalent is ''chester''. It may refer to: ...

) * El Tiemblo (four verracos, the known "''

Bulls of Guisando The Bulls of Guisando () are a set of ancient sculptures located on the hill of Guisando in the municipality of El Tiemblo, Ávila, Spain. The four sculptures, made of granite, represent quadrupeds identified as bulls or pigs. The balance of opin ...

''") * Tornadizos de Ávila (eight verracos preserved) *

La Torre La Torre is a municipality composed of the following districts, Balbarda, Blacha, Ávila, Blacha, Guareña, Oco and Sanchicorto located in the Ávila (province), province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census (Institu ...

(two headless verracos in the atrium of the church and other embedded in a wall) * Villanueva del Campillo (two verracos, one of them the largest in Europe) *

Villatoro Villatoro is a municipality in Spain belonging to the province of Ávila, in the autonomous community of Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León ...

(three verracos) * Vicolozano, Ávila

= Province of Salamanca

= *

Ciudad Rodrigo Ciudad Rodrigo () is a small cathedral city in the province of Salamanca (province), Salamanca, in western Spain, with a population in 2016 of 12,896. It is also the seat of a judicial district. The site of Ciudad Rodrigo, perched atop a rocky r ...

(two verracos, one of them from Gallegos de Argañán) *

Gallegos de Argañán Gallegos is a Spanish surname. It is a regional name denoting someone from Galicia (Spain), Galicia. Notable people with the surname include: People *Alphonse Gallegos (1931–1991), American Catholic bishop * Antonio Hernández Gallegos (1912 ...

(one today in the Museum of

and other in the Casa de la Cultura in

) * Juzbado * Larrodrigo * Ledesma *

Lumbrales Lumbrales is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain. As of 2018 the municipality has a population of 1,619 inhabitants. Close to its border with the municipality of Bermellar is the Castro de Las Merchanas, a ...

(two verracos) *

Masueco Masueco is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in Spai ...

(today in the Museum of

) *

Monleón Monleón is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in Spa ...

* Puente del Congosto *

La Redonda La Redonda is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in ...

(today in the Museum of

) *

(the verraco of the bridge cited in ''

El Lazarillo de Tormes ''El Lazarillo de Tormes'' is a 1959 Spanish- Italian film directed by César Fernández Ardavín. An adaptation of the anonymous sixteenth century novel ''Lazarillo de Tormes'' (1554), it tells the story of Lazarillo, a poor boy who has to liv ...

'' next to the

Roman bridge The ancient Romans were the first civilization to build large, permanent bridges. Early Roman bridges used techniques introduced by Etruscan immigrants, but the Romans improved those skills, developing and enhancing methods such as arches and k ...

and several verracos in the Museum) *

San Felices de los Gallegos San Felices de los Gallegos is a village and large municipality in the province of Salamanca, western Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located 102 kilometers from the provincial capital city of Salamanca and has a ...

* Santibáñez de Béjar *

Tabera de Abajo Tabera de Abajo is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community ...

Yecla de Yeltes Yecla de Yeltes is a large municipality in the province of Salamanca, western Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile-Leon. It is located 76 kilometres from the city of Salamanca and as of 2003 has a population 339 people. The municipal ...

(

Castro de Yecla la Vieja Castro is a Romance language word that originally derived from Latin ''castrum'', a pre-Roman military camp or fortification (cf: Greek: ''kastron''; Proto-Celtic:''*Kassrik;'' ). The English-language equivalent is ''chester''. It may refer to: ...

, today in the Aula arqueológica)

=Province of Segovia

= *

(two verracos: a bull and a wild boar; today in the Museo Provincial). *

Coca Coca is any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. Coca is known worldwide for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine. Coca leaves contain cocaine which acts as a mild stimulant when chewed or ...

(three verracos: two in front the City Gate of the Town and one embedded in the

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

's walls).

= Province of Zamora

Muelas del Pan Muelas del Pan is a municipality located in the province of Zamora, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculatin ...

San Vitero San Vitero is a municipality located in the Zamora (province), province of Zamora, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census (Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain), INE), the municipality has a population of 677 inhabitants. Tow ...

Toro Toro may refer to: Places *Toro, Molise, a ''comune'' in the Province of Campobasso, Italy *Toro, Nigeria, a Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Nigeria *Toro, Shizuoka, an archaeological site in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan *Toro, Zamora, a ''m ...

Villardiegua de la Ribera Villardiegua de la Ribera () is a municipality located in the province of Zamora, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, ...

Castile-La Mancha

= Province of Toledo

= *

La Puebla de Montalbán La Puebla de Montalbán is a Spanish town and municipality in the province of Toledo, in the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha. History The settlement may have developed upon the extinction of the Templar commandery of Montalbán a ...

. One verraco, found in 2006 and placed in the Museum "La Celestina". * Castillo de Bayuela Two verracos. Located in the Plaza de San Antonio and in almost perfect condition. *

Talavera de la Reina Talavera de la Reina () is a city and municipalities of Spain, municipality of Spain, part of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. Its population of 83,303 makes it the second most populated municipalit ...

. Known as «cabeza del moro» ("the Moor's head") due to it being embedded in a wall, with only the head being visible. *

Talavera la Nueva Talavera la Nueva is an ("administrative territorial entity below municipality") belonging to the municipality of Talavera de la Reina, Spain. History Located 5 km away from the city proper of Talavera de la Reina, it was founded by the Institut ...

Torralba de Oropesa Torralba de Oropesa is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2006 census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calcula ...

Torrecilla de la Jara Torrecilla de la Jara is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2023 census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calc ...

(two verracos)

Extremadura

= Province of Cáceres

= *

Botija Botija or Botijas may refer to: * ''Botija'' (container), ceramic shipping container widely used in the Spanish Empire * ''Botija'' (instrument), the container used as a musical instrument. * Botija, Cáceres, a municipality in the province of ...

(

Castro de Villasviejas del Tamuja Castro is a Romance language word that originally derived from Latin ''castrum'', a pre-Roman military camp or fortification (cf: Greek: ''kastron''; Proto-Celtic:''*Kassrik;'' ). The English-language equivalent is ''chester''. It may refer to: ...

, "Tamusia") * Guadalupe (Caserío de Mirabel) *

Jaraíz de la Vera Jaraíz de la Vera () is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2012 census ( INE), the municipality has a population of 6727 inhabitants. It is situated to the north of Extremadura and it is the c ...

Madrigalejo Madrigalejo is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2006 census ( INE), the municipality has a population of 2075 inhabitants. Ferdinand II of Aragon died in this village in 1516. See also * Li ...

(currently in the Archaeological Museum of Cáceres) * Segura de Toro *

Valdelacasa de Tajo Valdelacasa is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain. As of 2016 the municipality had a population of 242 inhabitants. The population went down to 191 at the 2024 census. See also *Los Santos mine Los Sant ...

Villar del Pedroso Villar del Pedroso is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2014 census, Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) the municipality has a population of 639 inhabitants. Villages * Navatrasierra, lo ...

Pasarón de la Vera Pasarón de la Vera is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2005 census ( INE), the municipality has a population of 725 inhabitants. See also * List of municipalities in Cáceres This is a ...

It was possibly destroyed in the 19th century, but still forming part of its coat of arms.

References

External links

Jesús R. Álvarez-Sanchís, "Oppida and Celtic society in western Spain,"
in ''e-Celtoi: Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies'' vol 6 (''The Celts in the Iberian Peninsula'')

{{Pre-Roman peoples in Iberia Megalithic monuments Archaeology in Europe Lists of buildings and structures in Spain Ancient history-related lists