The Ulaca Castro (Solosancho) and Its Sacrificial Altar
The Ulaca Castro is the largest and most monumental of the Vetton fortifications, perched atop a granite hill at 1,500 m in the Amblés Valley (Ávila). Its massive cyclopean walls, ritual altar and hundreds of dwellings make it an exceptional Iron Age site on the Northern Plateau.
Chronology and Occupation Phases
- First Settlers: Late Neolithic (c. 3000 BC), likely seasonal use.
- Bronze Age: Continuous but dispersed occupation, with nearby tumulus burials.
- Vetton Iron Age (3rd–2nd c. BC): Construction of cyclopean walls and consolidation as political and religious center.
- Roman Period (1st c. BC–2nd c. AD): Partial Romanization, gradual abandonment after pacification.
Walls and Defensive Accesses
- Extent: Over 3 km of dry-stone granite ramparts.
- Structure: Masonry panels with rectangular towers every 50–70 m.
- Gates: Entrances aligned with transhumance routes.
Housing Diversity
- Nearly 100 excavated structures: rectangular houses (3–4 m wide) with central hearths and side benches.
- Social organization: clusters of homes around courtyards or workspaces.
- Population: estimated 2 000–4 000 inhabitants at peak.
Sacrificial Altar and Sacred Space
- Ritual rock: carved slab with channels to pour offerings (water, wine) and collect overflow.
- Stone enclosure: defines the ceremonial precinct for rituals and tribal pacts.
Ritual Sauna (“forge”) and Possible Temple
- Rock-cut chamber: hermetic room with ventilation holes, interpreted as a steam bath for purification.
- Proximity to altar: suggests processions combining fire, water and steam.
Key Archaeological Finds
- Flint and iron tools: spearheads, knives and polished axes indicating warfare and agriculture.
- Vetton pottery: black-slipped vessels with incised geometric motifs.
- Stone idols: 20 anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines placed at the entrance corridor.
- Metallurgical waste: iron slag near small furnaces, evidence of local metalworking.
Economy and Lifeways
- Transhumant herding: goat and cattle flocks grazing upland pastures in summer.
- Dryland farming: terraced plots for cereals (barley, wheat) and legumes.
- Resource exploitation: granite quarrying, wood gathering and nearby spring use.
Research and Restoration
- Early excavations: begun in 1918 by the Padre Sarmiento Institute.
- Master Plan (2005–2015): wall consolidation, signage installation and interpretation center in Quintana de Béjar.
- Digital initiatives: pilot augmented-reality project recreating Vetton life scenes.
Visiting and Conservation
- Access: Hiking routes from Santibáñez de Béjar and Poyales del Hoyo with information panels.
- Recommendations: mountain boots, sun protection and water in summer; warm clothing in winter.
- Legal protection: declared a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC) in 1985; part of the Alto Bernesga Biosphere Reserve.
Ultimately, the Ulaca Castro offers a comprehensive view of Vetton society—its defenses, daily life, sacred ceremonies and adaptation to Roman expansion—making it a key site for understanding the protohistory of the Iberian Peninsula.
How to get there
Coordinates:
Decimal: 40.529722°, -4.885556°
DMS: 40°31'47" N, 4°53'08" O
Os acabamos de dejar otro comentario en otro post, pero no hemos podido evitar escribir también en éste. El castro de Ulaca, situado en la localidad de Solosancho es una de las maravillas de la provincia. Os animamos a que lo visitéis durante la celebración de la Luna Celta. Un abrazo y gracias por la información.