Oppidum ibero de Puente Tablas, Ancient Iberian settlement in Jaén, Spain.
The Oppidum of Puente Tablas is a fortified Iberian settlement built across two hills overlooking the Guadalbullon River, featuring defensive walls, residential buildings, a palace, and a sanctuary. The layout clearly separates areas for administration, daily living, and religious activities.
The settlement emerged during the early Iron Age and flourished from the 5th to the 1st century BCE as a fortified control point for trade routes. Its strategic location in the upper Guadalquivir valley made it a major regional center.
The site reveals how different social classes organized their daily lives within separate zones for living and craft production. The way spaces are arranged shows a sophisticated society where work areas, homes, and sacred places each had their own purpose.
The site is straightforward to explore with pathways connecting the different areas of the settlement. An on-site interpretation center helps visitors understand the excavations and the story of the community.
Advanced ground-penetrating radar technology revealed hidden production zones from the 5th and 4th centuries BCE that lay beneath the earth's surface. These discoveries show there is still much more to learn about the daily working lives of the Iberian people.
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