An ancient inscription discovered at the Iron Age settlement of La Peña del Castro in Spain was recently published in the journal Paleohispánica.
In 2017, archaeologists uncovered a spindle whorl—a counterweight used in the weaving process—during excavations at La Peña del Castro. Recent analysis revealed that the spindle whorl was etched with a symbol from the Celtiberian alphabet, making it one of the earliest examples of alphabetic writing found in the province of León. The discovery suggests that some degree of literacy and knowledge of writing existed in northern Iberia prior to the Roman arrival.
Traditionally, it was thought that there was an absence of alphabetic writing in northern Iberia before the Roman conquest in the late first century BCE. The finding supports the hypothesis that a degree of literacy existed within the La Peña del Castro community. The presence of an alphabetic symbol indicates that certain community members likely possessed writing skills for practical or symbolic uses.
The spindle whorl was found in a storage area that contained a basket of seeds, pieces of cured beef, and several tools. The object was manufactured from locally sourced talc, reinforcing the idea of local production.
The inscription on the spindle whorl can be interpreted as a mark of ownership, reflecting the community’s own knowledge rather than external trade influences. It may have held symbolic or prestige value, indicating the owner’s status within the community. This practice of marking ownership was especially prevalent in neighboring cultures such as the Vacceans, particularly influenced by their customs from the 2nd century BCE.
Excavations at La Peña del Castro began in 2013 and continued until 2019.
The influence of the Vaccean culture on La Peña del Castro was evident from the 2nd century BCE onward. During this period, there was an increase in population, greater social differentiation, and increasing economic complexity characterized by the accumulation of agricultural surpluses. There was also an increase in trade exchanges with both the plateau and the mountains.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
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