A solar energy project in Almendralejo, Spain, took an unexpected turn in 2021 when workers uncovered a 5,000-year-old fortress buried beneath the construction site. Since then, archaeologists have been meticulously excavating the area, revealing a massive Chalcolithic fortress, signs of warfare and destruction, and even a mysterious Roman-era burial.
A Hidden Fortress from the Copper Age
The discovery was made during the construction of a solar power plant by Acciona Energia, an energy giant overseeing the project. As soon as ancient ruins were identified, archaeologists were brought in to investigate.
They found the remains of a 140,000-square-foot hilltop fortress, built with stone and adobe walls, three deep ditches (over six feet deep), and a 27-inch-wide entrance, according to the study of the site as reported in El Pais.
The fortress, known as Cortijo Lobato, had a pentagon-shaped layout and was surrounded by three concentric walls and 25 towers, an advanced defensive design for its time. However, despite its imposing structure, it was ultimately attacked, breached, and destroyed.
A Fortress Set on Fire
The end of the fortress was marked by intense fire damage, which researchers believe was not accidental. César Pérez, lead archaeologist on the project, explained that wooden doors embedded in the adobe walls were burned, but they were too far from other flammable materials for the fire to have started naturally.
This suggests the fire was a deliberate act of warfare, likely part of a violent assault on the stronghold.According to Pérez, “the settlement was attacked, its defenses breached, and the structure ultimately set ablaze.”
The discovery challenges previous perceptions of the Copper Age (Chalcolithic period), suggesting that organized conflict and violent territorial struggles were more common than previously thought.
The Strategic Purpose of Cortijo Lobato
Archaeologists believe that the fortress was part of a larger organized community. Alicia Lizarraga, Acciona Energia’s environment manager, stated that such fortifications were likely built to protect communities from wild animals and potential conflicts with other groups.
Pérez further explained that the scale of construction and the complex defensive design indicate the presence of a structured and well-organized society with the ability to mobilize a large workforce.
The combination of moats and defensive walls in a single structure was exceptional for the Chalcolithic period. According to Victoria Bazaga, the region’s culture minister, Cortijo Lobato was twice as large as any other known fortress of its kind in Spain.
Archaeologists used carbon dating on animal remains found in the ashes to determine that the fortress was destroyed around 2450 B.C.. After this catastrophic event, the site remained abandoned for over 2,700 years, until the Late Roman Empire.
A Disturbing Roman-Era Burial
While investigating the site, archaeologists found remains of Roman-era habitation, but one discovery stood out: a mysterious grave near a ditch. The shallow burial contained the skeletal remains of a man, aged 25 to 35, positioned face down. His feet had been cut off, and a sheathed dagger (pugio) was placed on his back.
Pérez believes that the placement of the dagger was symbolic, marking the man as a soldier or military figure. The pugio was a standard dagger carried by Roman legionnaires, suggesting that the man was part of the Roman military. The shallow and hasty burial implies he was likely given a dishonorable burial.
Connection to Legio VII Gemina
At the time of the burial, only one Roman legion was stationed in Spain: Legio VII Gemina, established in 74 A.D. and headquartered in modern-day León, Spain. This legion was primarily responsible for road surveillance and regional security, raising questions about whether the soldier met his fate as part of a Roman military conflict or an internal punishment.
More Discoveries in the Region
The excavation of Cortijo Lobato is part of a larger archaeological effort in the area. In total, researchers have identified 11 sites spanning multiple historical periods:
- Six sites dating from the late 4th millennium B.C. to the early 3rd millennium B.C. (Copper Age).
- Five sites from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and the Late Roman Empire.
These findings redefine what historians know about the region’s ancient civilizations and their violent pasts.
