Archaeologists have discovered one of the oldest examples of writing in northern Iberia, shedding new light on literacy and communication in the region before the Roman conquest.
The inscribed artefact, a spindle whorl found at La Peña del Castro, suggests that writing may have been more widespread among Iron Age communities than previously thought.
Archaeology Magazine reports that this discovery challenges the long-held belief that pre-Roman cultures in northern Iberia left no written records.
While the precise meaning of the inscription remains uncertain, researchers believe it could indicate ownership, status, or even early symbolic communication.
If confirmed, this finding could reshape our understanding of early literacy in the Iberian Peninsula, demonstrating that indigenous groups had some familiarity with writing long before Roman influence.
A Rare Find at la Peña Del Castro
The discovery was made at La Peña del Castro, an Iron Age settlement in León, Spain. The artefact, a spindle whorl used in textile production, was excavated in 2017 from a storage area containing various tools, a basket of seeds, and pieces of cured beef.
The whorl is made of talc, a locally sourced material, suggesting that it was produced on-site rather than imported. The site itself, which was excavated between 2013 and 2019, has shown evidence of population growth, economic surplus, and increased trade interactions.
Evidence of Pre-Roman Literacy
Before this find, scholars widely believed that alphabetic writing was virtually absent in northern Iberia until the Roman conquest in the late first century BCE.
However, the inscribed symbol on the spindle whorl, which is carved in a sharp-angled style typical of Celtiberian and Vaccean scripts, suggests that some communities may have developed basic literacy independently of Roman influence.
Researchers believe the inscription may have been a property mark, a practice common in other Celtiberian and Vaccean settlements during a period of growing social differentiation.
However, the careful carving and unique context of the find raise the possibility that the inscription may have also had a symbolic meaning or indicated the owner’s status.
Cultural and Social Significance
The presence of writing at La Peña del Castro aligns with broader patterns of cultural and economic development in pre-Roman Iberia. The community appears to have been increasingly complex, with specialised production, surplus goods, and evolving social structures.
The spindle whorl may indicate that some form of written communication existed in the region before the arrival of the Romans, even if its use was limited to property marking or ritual purposes.
This discovery also raises questions about potential cultural exchanges. While there is no direct evidence linking the people of La Peña del Castro to neighbouring groups such as the Vacceans, the style of the inscription suggests that some level of interaction or shared traditions may have influenced early writing in the region.
It remains unclear whether these symbols represent a purely local development or if they reflect influences from neighbouring cultures that had already adopted writing systems.
Additionally, the discovery contributes to a growing body of evidence suggesting that Iron Age communities in the Iberian Peninsula were more sophisticated than previously believed.
The ability to produce and interpret written symbols could indicate an early form of literacy, even if writing was restricted to a select group of individuals within the society.
