Castro de Ribadumia
About this heritage
The archaeological site of Monte de O Castro, in Ribadumia, is a fortified Iron Age settlement located at 110 meters high. It is situated on a spur with a wide view over the final valley of the Umia River. Based on its documented remains, it is believed to have been inhabited during the 4th century BC to the 1st century AD. During excavations carried out in 2011, thirteen huts, a large courtyard house, and a wall were discovered, as well as thousands of pieces that evidence the intense trade this settlement maintained with ancient civilizations such as the Phoenicians.
To learn more
The Ribadumia site is a clear example of the use of the mountain and stone extraction, as traces of ancient quarries are preserved both around its perimeter and inside. The castro has medium dimensions in the context of typical Iron Age settlements, with dense occupation from the 4th century BC until the 1st century AD, when it was destroyed by fire and abandoned. Among its most notable structures is a large courtyard house in the style documented at the Castro de San Cibráo de Lás, in Ourense, and other castros in southern Galicia and northern Portugal. The residential area extends throughout the terracing and had different structures throughout the history of the castro, built with various materials. The earliest constructions were made with perishable materials, later replaced by stone structures, and the circular houses from the 2nd century BC became storage spaces, again using perishable materials. Among the thousands of pieces found during archaeological campaigns are ceramics from the 5th century BC to the 1st century BC, originating from North Africa and the area around Gadir (modern Cádiz), as well as a fragment of a Rhodian aryballos. The aryballos is a Greek vessel with a globular shape and a short, narrow neck used as a container to preserve perfumed oil for body care.
To know it better
The Castro de Besomaño, de Leiro, or de Ribadumia is located on a hill in Ribadumia (Pontevedra) with significant archaeological heritage. The castro is situated on Monte do Castro and is one of the Galician fortifications where house reconstructions have been made to visualize the site. Monte do Castro was occupied and reoccupied from the 4th century BC to the 1st century AD. The settlement that inhabited the castro developed the castreña culture, characterized by its peculiar way of organizing living spaces. These settlements were dominated by circular stone constructions, although oval and square shapes were also present. Later, the castro was destroyed by fire and definitively abandoned. The area was subject to stone extraction, perhaps from the origins of the settlement until well into the 20th century. Additionally, thanks to archaeological researchers, nearly 140,000 pieces have been collected. Among them, ceramics from the 5th century BC to the 1st century BC stand out.
Gallery
Location
- Town
- Besomaño
- Municipality
- Ribadumia
- Province
- Pontevedra
- Country
- Spain
The asset
- Type
- Castro
- Eco-destination
- Ría de Arousa
- Environment
- Rural
- Relevance
- International
How to get there
- Access
- By land
- Distance
- Distancia 7,9 km / 14 minutos en coche
The visit
- Accessible
- No
- Parking
- No
Coordinates
- Latitud
- 42.52382600
- Longitud
- -8.73954200