Poblado de la Hoya - Archaeological Site and Museum

It is one of the most important archaeological deposits in the Basque Country. The first settlement dates from the 15 th century B.C., where Indo-European settlers coming from Central Europe got in touch with the megalithic cultures of the area.

During this period, the settlement was already defended by a wall. 360 metres of it still remain. It was originally a palisade and later on it was replaced with a rubblework wall.

People from Central Europe continued coming. They also got in touch with this tribe and contributed new knowledge, but the settlement suffered a violent occupation around the 4 th century B.C. by Celtiberians coming from the Plains of Castile. They invaded the area and took over the settlement, bequeathing higher culture and development.

At first the settlement was widened in a perimetric way from the palisade. With the arrival of the Celtiberians it was rebuilt in groups of houses with intersections that were never opposite each other to prevent the wind from blowing along. Plenty of houses were strongly framed so as not to get soaked with rain, and the streets were paved.

In the beginning there were wooden huts and later on they were replaced by houses with sun-dried brick walls, wooden framings and stone socles. They had three parts: the entrance, the kitchen and a store; and they were thatched.

As a result of the coming of the Celtiberians it underwent a remarkable development, thanks to the technical economic innovations that were characteristic of those people. This was reflected in a high agricultural yield, which favoured the exchange of goods and made "La Hoya" an outstanding commercial place and an organizing centre of the territory.

The town was abandoned around the 3rd Century B.C. for unknown causes.