A recent study has revealed new insights into a mysterious ancient ritual involving severed heads in the Iberian Peninsula.
Researchers found that this practice was more complex than previously thought and varied across different communities.
The study, conducted by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, focused on skulls found at two archaeological sites: Ullastret and Puig Castellar.
These skulls, belonging to men, showed signs of post-mortem treatment, including iron nails driven into them. The practice of displaying these skulls in public spaces has puzzled archaeologists for years.
What was the purpose of these nailed heads?
There have been two main theories about these skulls. Some researchers believed they were war trophies meant to intimidate enemies, while others thought they were relics of respected community members.
However, until now, there was no scientific evidence to confirm either idea.
To learn more, researchers analyzed the skulls using isotope testing.
This technique examines the chemical composition of teeth and bones to determine where a person lived and whether they were local or from another area.
By comparing this data to local soil and vegetation samples, scientists were able to determine the origins of these individuals.
The results showed that the ritual was not the same at both sites. At Puig Castellar, three out of four individuals were not from the local area. This suggests they were likely outsiders, possibly captured enemies, whose skulls were displayed on the city walls as symbols of power and control.
At Ullastret, the findings were more mixed. Two of the skulls belonged to local individuals, while another came from outside the region. The local skulls were found in the middle of the city, possibly placed at the entrances of houses, indicating that they may have belonged to respected community members. The foreign skull, however, was discovered on an external wall, supporting the idea that it was a war trophy.
This study provides the first direct evidence of human mobility in the Iron Age of northeastern Iberia. It shows that different Iberian communities had distinct ways of selecting individuals for this ritual. The findings also highlight that these societies were highly organized and had complex interactions with both local and foreign groups.
The research team believes that their work will help build a broader understanding of how ancient Iberian societies functioned. By establishing a database of strontium isotopes from different regions, they hope to support future studies on human mobility in the past.
“Our study shows that these skull rituals were not a simple practice but rather part of a sophisticated social and cultural system,” said lead researcher Rubén de la Fuente-Seoane. “This is just the beginning, and further research will help us uncover even more about these ancient communities.”
This discovery sheds new light on Iberian traditions and their connection to power, identity, and territory, revealing a fascinating glimpse into life over 2,000 years ago.
