Archaeological Site of Galera: Castellón Alto and Tútugi
You are sure to be amazed when you arrive at Castellón Alto, an enormous hillock of land raised above the riverbed and roughly excavated. Spread out over various terraces, the dwellings of the Argaric culture (4,000 years ago) appear. The elite lived on the upper level, surrounded by a wall and with direct access to the water. Also in Galera we find the Iberian necropolis of Tútugi, where several tombs have been restored. It also has a museum, cave dwelling, Renaissance, seismites, etc. An exciting journey to pre-Roman times and much more.
In the Bronze Age, the Argaric culture appeared in the southeast of the Spain and became one of the most complex and most important societies known until then. 4,000 years ago, they created one of the first urban and state societies of the Western Mediterranean. If you come to the Granada Altiplano region, specifically to Galera, you can visit the fascinating Argaric site of Castellón Alto, which dates from 1900-1600 BC.
This archaeological site is very interesting because of its state of conservation. It is distributed between two large interconnected territorial units. First we have the head or spur, with the houses spread out over three artificial terraces, and then we have the adjoining hillside. The site also has an upper terrace, which is separated from the rest of the settlement by a perimeter wall, creating a citadel which was home to the elite.
The site also features 130 tombs discovered in one of the residential areas. With the exception of children buried in urns, all the remains were found in artificial caves carved out of the rock, mostly sealed with large slabs. In all cases, according to social status and gender, there were grave goods.
The incredible condition of the archaeological remains has provided important knowledge of the natural environment of the time, and its economic exploitation. In fact, you can walk through a reconstruction of the town that will allow you to know more about the daily life of its people.
But Castellón Alto is not the only gem you can visit in Galera. In this municipality you can also find the Tútugi Iberian necropolis, which has up to nine types of funerary structures. You will be able to learn about the composition of this cemetery which, thanks to a process of restoration and conservation, has enabled the recovery of the original landscape of the Necropolis when it was still in use (5th-3rd century BC).
Take note – you should definitely visit during the equinoxes.
The site has a Visitor Centre to help you understand the site and visit it properly. Galera Museum on the other hand, exhibits, among other treasures, the "Galera Mummy", the oldest and best preserved mummy in European prehistory, after the Ötzi man (Alps, 1991).
