Castro de La Mesa de Miranda
The settlement La Mesa de Miranda, located in the municipality of Chamartín in the province of Ávila in Spain, was a hill fort or oppidum (also known as a castro) where Vettones people lived between the late fifth and the first century BC. Some ruins are visible after archaeological excavations have taken place.
Description
The place was strategically chosen as it is easily defended. Since it is located on a plateau between two rivers that, by erosion, created a cliff to the north of the fort. The castro consists of three enclosures: Castillo Bajero (lower castle), rectangular in shape with a walled perimeter of 1303 meters, against which is built the second enclosure to the south, Castillo Cimero (upper castle), trapezoidal in shape with a perimeter of 1716 meters. These two enclosures are connected by gates flanked by towers. The third enclosure abuts the two earlier ones on their eastern side. The dimensions of this third enclosure suggest that it was a livestock pen. South of the walls, we can find the necropolis named “La Osera”, where 2230 graves were discovered [1]. Different burial areas were identified by a vertical stone, or stele, with a height between 50 and 160 cm. It is believed that these steles were used for astronomic events based on Solstices and Celtic religious festivals [2].
Overall, the castro is protected by a wall 2832 meters long and 5 meters wide on average, built from large blocks of stone. The oppidum was enclosed by a 2,832 m long wall and 5 meters wide on average, built from large blocks of stone, enclosing an area of circa 30 ha. [3].
According to excavations, the necropolis dates from the 3rd century BC to the early 3rd century AD, a period during which burials took place. The wall must have been built in the late 3rd or early 4th century BC.
By taking into account the number of houses found, the extension of the settlement and the cemetery findings, the estimated population of the oppidum was between 300 and 375 inhabitants [4], making it a noticeable settlement at that time.
The fortified settlement was recently restored and opened to the public in 2004.
References
- ^ Cabré-Aguiló, J., Cabré de Morán, E., Molinero, A., 1950. El castro y la necrópolis del hierro céltico de Chamartín de la Sierra. (Ávila), Acta Arqueológica Hispánica V
- ^ Baquedano Beltrán, I., Martín Escorza, C., 2007. La Edad de Hierro en La Osera,Chamartín de la Sierra, Ávila, Senderos GeoArqueológicos 4.
- ^ Molinero Pérez, Antonio (1933). «El castro de la Mesa de Miranda (Chamartín-Ávila)» (pdf). Boletín de la Real Academia de la Historia (Madrid: Real Academia de la Historia) 102: 421-439. ISSN 0034-0626. Accessed on 04 February 2026.
- ^ Álvarez Sanchís, J.R., Ruiz Zapatero, G., 2001. Cementerios y asentamientos: bases para una demografía arqueológica de la Meseta en la Edad del Hierro, in: Gardes, L.B.-R.y.P. (Ed.), Entre Celtas e Iberos. Las poblaciones protohistóricas de las Galias e Hispania, Madrid, Spain, pp. 61-75.