New excavation campaign at the Guzmán Castle

Raúl García Hémonnet/Editor

Like every summer since 2021, an archaeological team from the URJC has traveled to the Burgos town of Guzmán to continue working at the Castillo site.

After the completion of the IV Campaign last Monday, the team, led by Alberto Polo and Francisco Reyes, has been able to obtain new information about this site dating back to the 17th century. IX and XIII. The polygonal tower seems to “completely modify the construction of the upper tower which, in its first phase, had a circular morphology with a mainly defensive function,” according to Alberto Polo, professor of Archeology and head of the Laboratory of Archeology and Digital Humanities of the URJC, which directs this project.

After this new excavation campaign “The balance is very positive, since we are beginning to understand the construction phases of the fortified space quite well. On the other hand, on the outside of the complex, evidence has appeared of an oven made with adobes and clays, all dating back to the high and mid-medieval period,” Polo points out.

In addition to the work on the Castle, throughout this year there have also been two other archaeological campaigns, in this case a superficial pedestrian survey, which have helped to better understand the entire territory near the fortification. Thanks to the prospecting work, directed by Leticia Tobalina-Pulido (INCIPIT-CSIC) and Alberto Polo, they have made it possible to detect evidence of the possible necropolis of the disappeared Santa Ana hermitage. For the anthropological study, we have had the collaboration of Pedro Suárez, contracted predoctoral researcher at the URJC. This intervention has the institutional and financial support of Casa de Velázquez-EHEHI.

Citizen participation

The Guzmán Castle archaeological project is characterized by its strong community archeology component. Thus, one of the maxims of research is the inclusion of the local population in its development. “Within the framework of the IV Campaign, we have carried out two activities with the people. On the one hand, an Editatona, an initiative to enrich the information on Wikipedia-Wikimedia, related to the Cultural Heritage of the area. As well as, a guided tour that marks the end of the campaign and in which more than 100 people have participated,” says Alberto Polo. The researcher also adds that “several residents of the town collaborate at the site to help us both in the logistical aspects and in the development of the intervention itself. In addition, the local children have seen what it is like to excavate in a didactic way with the project team itself.”

The Guzmán Castle research project is carried out thanks to the financial support of the Guzmán Neighborhood Council, the Burgos Provincial Council and the ARQUEOURJC Laboratory. The initiative highlights how Archeology has a strong social and cultural impact on local populations in rural areas.