Monte de la Villa site
Archeology along the Marsh Route
Monte de la Villa
It is located in the northwest sector of the municipality of Villaviciosa de Odón, on the edge of the M - 511 road, popularly known as "Route of the swamps". Its location, in an area of gentle slopes that descend towards Arroyo de la Vega, allowed the exploitation of agricultural resources. The place also had a nearby communication route: Via 24 of the Antonino Itinerary.
Two types of contexts were located, one from the High Imperial Roman period, dated between the XNUMXst and XNUMXnd centuries after Christ, in which the ceramic stands out. terra sigillata, represented above all in plates and bowls with decorations of wavy lines and circles and another from the high medieval period, with a single phase of occupation located between the 75th and XNUMXth centuries AD, corresponding to a rural settlement of an agricultural character in which up to XNUMX silos and underground storage buckets. These silos are widely documented during the Visigothic period both in domestic, ecclesiastical and monastic contexts. They are all very similar, circular in plan, without treatment or coating of the walls and generally globular sections.
During the excavation, numerous fragments of granite millstone were recovered in the depreciation fills of some silos. They were also used as covering slabs for graves. These mills confirm the agricultural character of the settlement, as well as the exploitation of cereal crops and the subsequent processing of the grain to obtain flour.
Several rectangular hut bottoms with rounded corners were also excavated, which in some cases had an access ramp. Adobe remains were found, probably from its walls. The roofs of these cabins would be made of wood or vegetable matter, with a gabled roof.
The ceramics found are, for the most part, kitchen pots and bowls, roughly made, without decoration and with a predominance of hand-made and lathe. In addition to the ceramics, fragments of high-quality glass and very thin walls appeared, of a greenish blue color, which due to their characteristics seem to be valid glasses and bowls for table service.
In short, it would be a rural settlement of an agricultural character, with a chronology between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries AD. C.
The remains of building stones are interesting, among which a sculpted limestone scallop appeared, which could indicate the presence of a singular building in the vicinity.
The Necropolis
The existence of a necropolis, documented and partially excavated, rules out the possible seasonal use of the settlement. All the graves are individual burial pits except for one, which can be considered a cist. Some of them stand out, both for children and adults, in which grinding stones have been reused, placing them as a cover. The orientation of all the graves is the one that prevails in the Visigoth necropolis, East-West, with the head facing the rising sun. The individuals, without exception, were buried in a supine position. The position of the arms varies, being able to be close to the body, on the pelvis or on the abdomen.
It is remarkable the total absence of objects, both of grave goods and personal adornment, as well as the absence of skeleton reductions. Neither were elements found that indicate remains of coffins, stretchers or simple assembled wood, since no nails, staples, clamps, spouts or plant residues have been found, so it is possible that the individuals were wrapped in a canvas and deposited on the land.
The favorable characteristics of the place in which El Monte de la Villa is located surely influenced the permanence of the settlement of the place.