El Turuñuelo, Archaeological site in Guareña, Badajoz, Spain.
El Turuñuelo is an excavation site near the Guadiana river containing a two-story building from the 5th century BCE constructed with brick vaults and earth materials. The structure displays sophisticated architectural techniques and was found buried beneath layers of soil, indicating it was deliberately sealed after the civilization that built it abandoned the location.
The building belonged to the Tartessian culture and was intentionally burned and covered with earth after a ceremonial animal feast around 2,500 years ago. This deliberate destruction and sealing suggest the structure held significant ritual meaning for the civilization that inhabited it.
Archaeologists discovered five anthropomorphic busts dating to the 5th century BCE, revealing unexpected human representations in Tartessian artistic expression.
The site remains under ongoing excavation with only portions visible to visitors, so expect limited access to certain areas. Wear sturdy shoes as the ground can become muddy depending on weather conditions.
Excavations uncovered thousands of animal bones arranged in separate layers, revealing that ritual ceremonies were repeated at this location across different time periods. The layered evidence of these repeated acts over generations points to the location's lasting spiritual or communal importance to the society that visited it.
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