Page 54 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

52  INTRODUCING SP AIN

Prehistoric Spain

The Iberian Peninsula was first inhabited by hunter-
gatherers around 800,000 BC. They were eclipsed by
a Neolithic farming population from 5000 BC. First
in a wave of settlers from over the Mediterranean,
the Phoenicians landed in 1100 BC, to be followed
by the Greeks and Carthaginians. Invading Celts
mixed with native Iberian tribes (forming the Spain in 5000 BC
Celtiberians). They proved a formidable force Neolithic farming
settlements
against the Romans, the next conquerors of Spain.

Small silver
The 28 bracelets bottle
have perforations
and moulded
Iron Dagger (6th century BC) decorations.
Weapons, like this Celtic dagger, represent the
later Iron Age, in contrast to earlier metal objects
which were for domestic use.

Stone Age Man
This skull belongs to
a Palaeolithic man,
who hunted deer
and bison with
tools made of
wood and stone.

Incised
geometric
pattern

La Dama de Elche
Dating from the 4th
century BC, this
stone statue is a The Villena Treasure
fine example of Discovered in 1963 during works in Villena,
Iberian art. Her near Alicante, this Bronze Age find consists of
austere beauty 66 dazzling objects mostly of gold, includ ing
reveals traces of bowls, bottles and jewellery (see p264). The
Greek influence.
treasure dates from around 1000 BC.

800,000 BC Homo erectus 2500 BC Los Millares (p505)
arrives in Iberian Peninsula 35,000 BC is inhabited by early metal- 1800–1100 BC
Cro-Magnon man workers with belief in Civilization of El Argar,
300,000 BC Tribes of Homo evolves in Spain an advanced agrarian
erectus live in hunting camps the afterlife society, flourishes in
in Soria and Madrid southeast Spain
800,000 BC 2500 2000
100,000–40,000 BC 5000 BC Farming begins
500,000 BC Stones used Neanderthal man in Gibraltar
as tools by hominids in Iberian Peninsula
(probably Homo erectus)
18,000–14,000 BC Drawings by cave dwellers at
Altamira (Cantabria), near Ribadesella (Asturias)
Bison cave drawing, Altamira and at Nerja (Andalucía)

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