La Bastida (Totana)
La Bastida of Totana is an archaeological site belonging to the Argaric culture, whose inhabitants lived in the area during the Bronze Age.
Carbon-14 dating indicates that the fortification already existed around 2200-2100 BC. Its antiquity and the preserved elevation of the walls and towers make this find one of the most important in European archaeology in recent years.
The culture of El Argar was characterized by large towns located on hills. Another feature of this site is the many tombs, which have been excavated under the floor of the dwellings. A wide range of metallic objects, mostly copper, bronze, and silver, as well as stone and bone tools, were also found.
The archaeologists in charge of the investigation estimated that La Bastida was a city of about 40,000 m2. In its heyday, about 3,800 years ago, around 1,000 people lived there. In those years it must have been one of the largest settlements in Europe.
In La Bastida not only have houses been found but there are also defensive walls, and the very location of the settlement transformed it into a fortress. The tombs used to be under the floor of the houses and could contain one or two individuals, who were placed in the foetal position and were usually accompanied by offerings. The differences between these offerings enabled experts to conclude that it was a community divided into social classes.
It is possible to take guided tours and there are also dramatized tours with actors who show what the customs of the time were like and allow us to travel back in time with our imagination.
Carbon-14 dating indicates that the fortification already existed around 2200-2100 BC. Its antiquity and the preserved elevation of the walls and towers make this find one of the most important in European archaeology in recent years.
The culture of El Argar was characterized by large towns located on hills. Another feature of this site is the many tombs, which have been excavated under the floor of the dwellings. A wide range of metallic objects, mostly copper, bronze, and silver, as well as stone and bone tools, were also found.
The archaeologists in charge of the investigation estimated that La Bastida was a city of about 40,000 m2. In its heyday, about 3,800 years ago, around 1,000 people lived there. In those years it must have been one of the largest settlements in Europe.
In La Bastida not only have houses been found but there are also defensive walls, and the very location of the settlement transformed it into a fortress. The tombs used to be under the floor of the houses and could contain one or two individuals, who were placed in the foetal position and were usually accompanied by offerings. The differences between these offerings enabled experts to conclude that it was a community divided into social classes.
It is possible to take guided tours and there are also dramatized tours with actors who show what the customs of the time were like and allow us to travel back in time with our imagination.
Location
What to see in Totana
