From the early seventh century the sources available to us are more numerous and more evenly distributed across the west. By this period, the ‘ethnic’ armies descended from the late Roman field armies had evolved into armies raised from classes of landowners. This evolution continued through the seventh century. Continue reading “Raising an army in Post-Roman Europe – The seventh century Visigothic Spain”
La Bastida; Argaric Bronze Age of S-E Spain – what we know so far
The Argaric Bronze Age of south-eastern Spain (c. 2200–1550 cal BC) represents a unique socio-economic and political development in the later prehistory of the western Mediterranean. Continue reading “La Bastida; Argaric Bronze Age of S-E Spain – what we know so far”
‘Dolmens of Antequera’ Site, Spain, dates back to the Neolithic Age
The ATLAS research group from the University of Seville has published a study of a high resolution analysis of one of the most important sections of the Peña de los Enamorados, a natural formation included in the Antequera Dolmens Site, declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Continue reading “‘Dolmens of Antequera’ Site, Spain, dates back to the Neolithic Age”
An analysis of ancient DNA recreates the genetic history of Portugal and Spain
The genomes of individuals who lived on the Iberian Peninsula in the Bronze Age had minor genetic input from Steppe invaders, suggesting that these migrations played a smaller role in the genetic makeup and culture of Iberian people, compared to other parts of Europe. Daniel Bradley and Rui Martiniano of Trinity College Dublin, in Ireland, and Ana Maria Silva of University of Coimbra, Portugal, report these findings July 27, 2017 in PLOS Genetics. Continue reading “An analysis of ancient DNA recreates the genetic history of Portugal and Spain”
First direct dating of Homo antecessor
The Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) has led a new international study published in the journal Quaternary Geochronology, about the direct dating of a fossil tooth of Homo antecessor from the unit TD6 of the archaeological site of Gran Dolina in the Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain). Continue reading “First direct dating of Homo antecessor”
Archaeologists Uncover Vast Ancient Roman Mining Operation in Spain
Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Munigua in southern Spain have found a vast Roman copper mining operation built on an older mine dating back thousands of years. Continue reading “Archaeologists Uncover Vast Ancient Roman Mining Operation in Spain”