Exploring War and Mobility in Iron-Age Puigcastellar, Catalonia

Nestled in the hills of Catalonia's Moianès, the historical settlement of Puigcastellar can be found on the slopes of Mount Puigcastellar, just south of Castellterçol. The archaeological remains of a masia at its foot reveal intriguing insights into the Iron-Age Iberian civilizations that once thrived here. By conducting isotopic analysis on skulls discovered at both Puig Castellar and Ullastret, a team of researchers unearthed valuable information about the human population movements and socio-political dynamics of the era.

These findings suggest that these skulls were likely war trophies, representing either vanquished opponents or war prisoners. The analysis also suggests that the majority of the heads found in Puig Castellar hailed from regions distant from the local area, whereas those in Ullastret may have been influential members of the community, either revered or recompensed by the residents.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata