A castro is a strongly built settlement, often built before the Roman Empire existed. Some were built during the late Bronze Age and Iron Age and are connected to the culture of the Celts. These settlements are often found in Northern Spain, especially in Asturias, Galicia, Cantabria, the Basque Country, and the province of Ávila, where the Castro culture is found. They are also found on the plateau, where the Las Cogotas culture is found.
The word "castro" comes from the Latin word "castrum," which means "hill fort."
Castros of the Castro culture
The Castro is a fortified village that started being inhabited around the 6th century BC. It does not have streets with right angles, and most buildings are circular. The earliest homes were made of straw and mud, while later homes used stone. Each house and room was often built in a unique way. Roofs were made of branches and mud, held up by wooden poles or beams. These villages were built in naturally protected areas, such as hills, riverbanks, or small land areas near water, farmland, and grazing land.
Castros were protected by pits, walls, and parapets that surrounded the village. Some entrances had a tower to control access to the village or other important places. During times of war, people from nearby areas moved to these villages for safety. The villages also helped watch over crops and manage land.
The location of castros suggests that people planned carefully where to build them. This allowed them to send signals between villages for defense. Castros were most common between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC. They had more trade connections with areas to the south and along the coast than with the north or inland regions. Some historians believe that in the middle of the 1st century BC, the number of castros increased, possibly due to population growth or other reasons. By the end of the 1st century BC, as the Romans took control, some castros showed signs of damaged walls and were quickly rebuilt.
Most castros are found on hills or raised areas but not on very high mountains. They are usually round or oval and have one or more walls. An example is the Castro of Coaña in Asturias. Some castros are built on mountain slopes and have oval shapes with pits on the top and walls or embankments leading into valleys. These are linked to mining activities and date back to Roman times. Examples include Vilar in the Sierra de Caurel and Xegunde in Fonsagrada (Lugo).
Castros are often round or oval and fit the shape of the land. Natural defenses like the sea are combined with walls and moats inland. These types of castros are common, such as the Baroña in the Sierra of Barbanza.
Castros are usually built on cleared hills, rocky areas, or land that juts into the sea. This gives them visibility, protection, and control over the surrounding area. The choice of location also depends on natural resources available to the people. Each Castro has an upper area called the "croa" and terraces where buildings are placed. These areas are often surrounded by walls, parapets, or pits. Some castros have outer areas called "antecastros," which are enclosed by walls but do not have homes, suggesting they may have been used for animals or crops.
Most castros have one entrance, which also helps block unwanted movement. Sometimes, the entrance is a thick part of the wall, or a section of the wall extends to form a narrow passageway. It is believed that wooden doors were used to close these entrances.
The defenses of castros seem to focus more on showing power and marking boundaries than on actual warfare. Few weapons have been found. In addition to natural defenses, castros have three types of structures.
Most castros do not have a clear city layout. In the 1st century BC, homes were grouped into clusters, with several buildings surrounded by a wall and one entrance facing the street. This style was common in larger towns and smaller ones like Castro do Vieito. These clusters may have included homes, storage areas, or silos. Homes are not connected by shared walls and do not have windows.
The floors of homes were made of mud that was walked on. Before the 2nd to 3rd century BC, walls were made of adobe with a central pole. Later, walls were built with stone in horizontal rows or in a polygonal shape. Roofs were made of branches covered with mud and reinforced with stones or tiles. By the 1st century BC, influenced by the Romans, homes became more square or rectangular. The main room of a house was usually in the center and made of slate or clay. By the end of the 1st century, it shifted to one side and sometimes used shingles.
Some large buildings with stone benches along the walls, but no room remains, may have been used for gatherings or ceremonies. Kilns for making pottery are often found near entrances or outside the village.