Georchaeological dynamics of the eastern slope of the walled enclosure of the Villasviejas del Tamuja site (Botija,Cáceres, Spain)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55407/rsge.112251Keywords:
Geoarchaeology, electrical tomography, slope processes, peneplain of Cáceres, Second Iron AgeAbstract
The history of the geodynamic processes that have affected archaeological sites after abandonment is linked to their subsequent uses and the geomorphological characteristic. These conditions are, to a large extent, determinants of the processes of erosion and deposition that occur in settlements after abandonment. The identification of this dynamic is necessary when conditioning the integrity and detection of the archaeological remains. This work presents the study carried out in Second Iron Age hillfort of Villasviejas del Tamuja (Botija, Cáceres, Spain) in order to assess the dynamic and conservation processes on the eastern slope of this enclosure. On the surface of this slope, part of the section of the wall built with granite blocks is recognizable, although the substrate on which it is built is not visible. The presence of sliding blocks along it is very abundant. Based on direct observations in the field and the indirect study using electrical tomography through different profiles, which have reached different depths, it has been possible to determine the boundary between the slate substrate on which the wall was built and the deposits that cover it. Regarding the geoarchaeological dynamics, it has been determined that the slope has been affected by anthropic and natural processes. The buried structures detected indicate successive stages of erosion and gravitational instability aggravated by the end of the agricultural activity installed in this space after the abandonment of the fort.
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