Guarding Edeta's hills: The fortified watchpost of Puntal dels Llops

Puntal dels Llops, a small Iron Age hilltop fort, is situated near the modern town of Olocau in Valencia, Spain. It rests atop an earlier Bronze Age site, and the site's original Iberian name remains unknown. Built in the late 5th or early 4th century BC, it was obliterated either at the end of the Second Punic War or in the early second century BC. This fort, along with others, forms a defensive network surrounding the significant Iberian town of Edeta (Tossal de Sant Miguel, Llíria), offering valuable insights into the formation and organization of Iberian politics.

The archaeological site encompasses about 0.06 hectares. Featuring an enclosed settlement with a perimeter wall that also serves as the back wall of the rooms, it is reminiscent of the 'village clos' or 'poblado de calle central' style first introduced during the Bronze Age. The entrance, the most guarded point, boasts a tower, a dog-leg entrance, ditches, and an additional low outer rampart.

The site contained seventeen rooms, with some likely being two stories high and having spiral staircases on the central street. Various artifacts are unearthed across the site, shedding light on their original functions. For example, an infant burial was found under a specific location within Room 1, hinting at its sacred nature. (Note: Room numbering revised for clarity)

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons