Neixon Fortress (Castros)

About this heritage

The Neixon Castros (pre-Roman fortresses) are in a small peninsula inside the Arousa Estuary, specifically in one of the most inland areas located at the north by northwest (NNE). Its location is strategic regarding the commercial maritime route, and we can link it to the mining wealth of the area as well. This area achieved an impressive local development in the bronze and iron metallurgy during most of the first millennium B.C., known as the Iron Age when the so-called Castro culture developed.

The first studies at the beginning of the last century, because of some surprising findings made by amateurs and scholars related to the area, unleashed the interest of researchers belonging to various academic and scientific institutions. These intellectuals' interest was due to the existence of a human settlement between the Bronze and the Iron Age. It configured the Little Neixon as one of the Fortresses (Castros) with the latest settlements in the entire Northwest of the peninsula.

Further, at this time, these first studies highlight the existence of a significant metallurgical activity, mainly of bronze, although with the presence of iron casting.

In the 1970s, they confirmed the Neixón's long-distance commercial trades, mostly through the Mediterranean routes, based on the discovery of aryballos, which are flasks used to hold aromatic oils and ointments and made of polychrome glass of Punic origin.

In the 1980s, the Neixon archaeological site became a deteriorated and neglected area with the opening of tracks, forest plantations, and the appearance of numerous garbage dumps.

In 1996, it was a new beginning for Neixón since the autonomous administration, along with the municipal one, considered the possibility of revaluing the archaeological space. Later, around the year 2000, and under the protection of the Galician Network of the Archaeological Patrimony Project (2001), they consolidated and restored part of the archaeological structures exposed to the open since the beginning of the 20th century.

In 2003, they began methodical archaeological excavations, intending, among others, to characterize the archaeological site and continue the revaluing process, which continues to this day.

To learn more

According to the most recent studies, in the large Fortress (Castro Grande) of Neixón, there is a testimony of three settlements of distinct periods, a pre-Roman (Phase I), a Roman (Phase II), and finally, a late Roman (Phase III).

Phase I dated back between the 5th century and 2nd century B.C, where its inhabitants come in contact with the Punic commercial routes and with other producing areas of the Castro world, with short, medium, and long-distance trade. It also seems that its main enclosure served, largely, as a vast space dedicated to the storage of surpluses, demonstrated by the high number of storage pits or silos located in the studied areas during the last years.

Phase II coincides with the change of era, between the 1st century B.C. and 2nd century A.D., an algid moment when a large number of products from the Roman commercial routes emerged. The same as it happened in other pre-Roman fortresses (Castros), such as Santa Tegra, Vigo, Facho de Donón, La Lanzada, among others.

Phase III coincides chronologically with the crisis of the end of the 3rd century of the Roman Empire, ending with the abandonment of this Fortress (Castro) between the 4th and 5th centuries.

From a physiognomic point of view, the main site has a slightly oval floor plan, with 95 meters from the North to the South and 105 meters from the East to the West axis.

The upper enclosure of the large Fortress (Castro Grande) was rebuilt between the 5th and 6th centuries.

At the change of era, they dismantled the settlement’s oldest level and used the material to fill the southeast entrance in an urban restructuring. There are some well-preserved terraces, located outside the Acropolis, on the eastern and western sectors, and in the space between the two Fortresses (Castros). These could have been a natural environment area or just elements of a defensive system. The same as with an open trench near the south-eastern access with a functionality justified as a configuration graduated terrace steps, conditioning terracing ("socalcos"), or as a delimitation of the space or a possible mining operation, or even as part of the defensive system.

The largest percentage of recovered materials are of a ceramic nature and mostly correspond to elements used in the daily life of the inhabitants of Neixon, such as pots for the preparation of meals or the storage of various products.

Likewise, they recovered some Punic-styled ceramics, such as an ointment pot collected in the pit, and others of the Iberian tradition.

Besides these ceramic remains, they also retrieved abundant rock-made tools, such as polishers, axes, weights, mills, among others, made of local raw materials, namely pebble, shale, and quartzite. They recovered another significant set of elements made in metal, fundamentally in bronze, such as needles, pendants, and brooches called fibulas.

It is also close to towns, such as Pobra do Caramiñal, Rianxo, and Ribeira.This municipality has a Celtic past so characteristic of our area, having Celtic traces in Cespón, more specifically in the Castros de Neixón. These fortified settlements dated back to the Bronze and Iron Ages, corresponding to the 5th century B.C. and the 4th century A.D. It is noteworthy to remember that in 2011, the Xunta de Galicia declared it a Site of Cultural Interest.

The Fortresses (Castros) of Neixón Point were one of the first Galician archaeological sites excavated during the 20th and early 21st centuries, and those who participated are, still today, considered some of the fathers of Galician archaeology, Mr. Fermín Bouza Brey and Mr. Florentino López Cuevillas.These two Fortresses (Castros) have different main characteristics.

The Small Fortress (Castro Pequeño) has signs of older settlements, and according to some studies, its construction went from architecture with more durable materials to another characterized by the Castro period: circular huts with stone bases, mud and wood parapets, and straw coverings. On the other hand, at a distance of 100 meters, the large Fotress (Castro Grande), which was inhabited, most certainly, after the abandonment of the small one.

To know it better

Boiro is a coastal municipality in the Barbanza region in the province of Coruña. This municipality of the Southern Estuaries (Rías Baixas) bathed by the Arousa estuary, has a large variety of beaches, such as those of Carragueiros and Barraña. Likewise, one of the most popular coastal visits in the area is the Cabo de Cruz (Cross Cape) and the Barraña cove.

It is also close to towns, such as Pobra do Caramiñal, Rianxo, and Ribeira.

This municipality has a Celtic past so characteristic of our area, having Celtic traces in Cespón, more specifically in the Castros de Neixón. These fortified settlements dated back to the Bronze and Iron Ages, corresponding to the 5th century B.C. and the 4th century A.D. It is noteworthy to remember that in 2011, the Xunta de Galicia declared it a Site of Cultural Interest.

The Fortresses (Castros) of Neixón Point were one of the first Galician archaeological sites excavated during the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. Those who participated are, still today, considered some of the fathers of Galician archaeology, Mr. Fermín Bouza Brey and Mr. Florentino López Cuevillas.

These two Fortresses (Castros) have different main characteristics.

The Small Fortress (Castro Pequeño) has signs of older settlements, and according to some studies, its construction went from architecture with more durable materials to another characterized by the Castro period: circular huts with stone bases, mud and wood parapets, and straw coverings. On the other hand, at a distance of 100 meters, the large Hirllfort (Castro Grande), which was inhabited, most certainly, after the abandonment of the small one.