8 May 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Celtiberian Inscription Found at La Peña del Castro: One of the Earliest Examples of Alphabetic Writing in Northern Iberia

La Ercina, León, Spain – Archaeological research at the La Peña del Castro site has unveiled an important discovery that could reshape our understanding of writing in the Iberian Peninsula. Researchers from the University of León have identified an inscription from the Celtiberian alphabet on a spindle whorl, a small object used in textile production, dating back to the 1st century BC.

This inscription is particularly noteworthy as it represents one of the earliest examples of alphabetic writing found in the province of León and the northern Iberian Peninsula. Historically, Iron Age cultures in this region were characterized by a notable absence of writing prior to the Roman conquest.

The spindle whorl’s location within the settlement and its material composition suggest it was produced on-site, supporting the hypothesis that a degree of literacy existed within this community. The ongoing excavations at La Peña del Castro, which began in 2013 and continued until 2019, have revealed various artifacts that reflect the settlement’s economic activities and social organization.

During the 2017 excavation campaign, archaeologists discovered a storage area containing items such as a basket of seeds, cured beef remains, and tools, alongside the inscribed spindle whorl. Detailed analysis has highlighted the significance of this find.

The engraved symbol may represent a property mark, a common practice among contemporary societies, particularly influenced by neighboring cultures like the Vaccean from the 2nd century BC. However, the unique context of the find suggests it may have also held symbolic or prestige value, indicating the owner’s status within the community.

The spindle whorl with the Celtiberian inscription. Credit: Eduardo González Gómez de Agüero
The spindle whorl with the Celtiberian inscription. Credit: Eduardo González Gómez de Agüero

This discovery is part of a broader social transformation at La Peña del Castro during the Iron Age, marked by population growth, social differentiation, and economic complexity, including agricultural surpluses and increased trade. The presence of an alphabetic symbol indicates that certain community members likely possessed writing skills for practical or symbolic uses.

Made from locally sourced talc, the spindle whorl reinforces the idea of local production, suggesting that the inscription reflects the community’s own knowledge rather than external trade influences. This raises intriguing possibilities about the settlement’s writing traditions and cultural exchanges with neighboring societies.

The findings were recently published in the journal Paleohispánica, a leading reference in ancient Hispania’s languages and cultures. This research not only enhances our understanding of writing in northwest Iberia but also prompts new inquiries into the cultural and social dynamics of pre-Roman communities in the region.

The inscription at La Peña del Castro adds to the growing body of epigraphic evidence from Celtiberian culture, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of the expansion and utilization of writing in these ancient societies. Each new discovery enriches the narrative of pre-Roman peoples, revealing previously unknown aspects of their daily lives, social structures, and interactions with contemporary cultures.

Universidad de León

DOI: 10.36707/palaeohispanica.v24i1.636

Cover Image Credit: The site of the find at the Peña del Castro site. Credit: Eduardo González Gómez de Agüero

Related Articles

Millennia-Old İron Production Facilities Found in Iran

2 May 2021

2 May 2021

Archaeologists have uncovered many millennia-old iron manufacturing sites in a historical village in southcentral Iran. A local tourism official declared...

Marvelous Marble Floor Of Sunken Roman Villa Restored in Bacoli

19 July 2024

19 July 2024

In Bacoli, Italy, an underwater restoration project has uncovered the marvelous marble floor of a submerged Roman villa. This remarkable...

Teymareh Petroglyphs, One of the World’s Largest Rock Art Collections, at Risk of Disappearing Due to Mining Activities

20 August 2024

20 August 2024

Petroglyphs are among the world’s oldest practiced art forms and are as diverse as the wide-ranging cultures and civilizations that...

Elite Roman man buried with a silver crossbow brooch, first of its kind found in Wales

15 July 2023

15 July 2023

Archaeologists in Wales have made an intriguing discovery near a Roman villa. They have discovered the skeleton of a man...

A New Late Ancient Necropolis Discovered on Hvar Island

10 June 2021

10 June 2021

The protective investigation in the garden of the Radoevi Palace in the town of Hvar on the Croatian island of...

The enigma behind King Tut’s’space dagger,’ according to archaeologists, has finally been solved

24 February 2022

24 February 2022

Archaeologists have finally solved the enigma of King Tutankhamun’s dagger, which was discovered 3,400 years ago. A new examination of...

Unique Viking Age sword found in Norway

14 June 2022

14 June 2022

A piece of a sword was found last year on a farm in Gausel, in Stavanger, on Norway‘s west coast,...

Archaeologists Unearth 78,000-Year Oldest Human Burial

5 May 2021

5 May 2021

A 78,000-year-old group of bones discovered at the mouth of a Kenyan coastal cave constitutes the oldest recorded formal human...

After 1,300 years, water to again flow from monumental fountain in the City of Gladiators in Turkey

30 December 2022

30 December 2022

The approximately 2,000-year-old monumental fountain in the ancient city of Kibyra in Golhisar, Burdur in southwestern Turkey will start flowing...

New research reveals that Baltic amber was transported to the most westerly region of the continent more than 5,000 years ago

21 October 2023

21 October 2023

A team of scientists has identified the oldest pieces of Baltic amber ever found on the Iberian Peninsula, revealing that...

Medieval Islamic glass of Scottish Caerlaverock Castle reveals untold histories

23 October 2022

23 October 2022

Discovered by archaeologists at Caerlaverock Castle, eleven kilometers south of Dumfries on Scotland’s south coast, a trio of Islamic glass...

Dog Kajtuś uncovers Poland’s biggest treasure of the past 100 years

21 April 2022

21 April 2022

A dog named Kajtuś discovered the biggest treasure found in Poland in the last 100 years. The treasure was found...

Metal Scraps were Used İnstead of Money in Bronze Age Europe

8 May 2021

8 May 2021

Bronze scrap uncovered in hoards in Europe was used as currency, according to researchers from the Universities of Göttingen and...

A Viking ship discovered at Salhushaugen Cemetery in Norway

22 April 2023

22 April 2023

Archaeologists in Norway, a 20-meter-long Viking ship has been discovered using georadar on a mound previously believed to be empty....

Inscription dedicated to Roman Emperor Hadrian found in ancient city of Blaundus

26 November 2024

26 November 2024

An inscription dedicated to the Roman Emperor Hadrian was discovered during the ongoing excavations at the ancient city of Blaundus...