An archaeological discovery at the site of Andelo (Mendigorría, Navarre) has uncovered the skeletons of four perinatal individuals (a concept which refers to the moment close to birth), dating back to the founding moment of the ancient Basque city (2nd-1st centuries BC). The discovery is part of the doctoral thesis of Íñigo Portela Santamaría from the Public University of Navarra, under the supervision of Professor Eloísa Ramírez Vaquero and Professor Javier Armendáriz Martija, researchers from the I-COMMUNITAS Institute. This work addresses the process of implementation and development of the Roman urban model in the Ebro Valley, taking Andelo and its territory as a case study.
The research project had the technical work of the company SOT Prospecció Arqueològica and the approval of the archaeological team of the Historical Heritage Service, dependent on the General Directorate of Culture-Prince of Viana Institution of the Government of Navarra, which financed the work carried out.
Based on the results, the team proposed two stratigraphic studies aimed at analyzing the occupation phases and determining the founding moment of the city. It was during the process of archaeological excavations that the burial pits of the four perinatal individuals studied at the UPNA Archeology Laboratory were located. “This is an exceptional discovery that marks the first moment of occupation of the enclave and provides human testimony of its origins,” explains Íñigo Portela.
The Romanization of the Middle Zone
The archaeological context places these burials between the end of the 2nd century and the first half of the 1st century BC. BC, coinciding with the process of Romanization of the Middle Zone of Navarre and the transformation of the pre-Roman habitat model in the first “civitates” established by Rome. “At that time, the predominant funeral ritual was cremation, reserving burial for infants, who were buried inside houses,” describes the researcher-in-training.
The remains are studied by osteoarchaeologists Maitane Tirapu de Goñi and Patxuka de Miguel Ibáñez in the facilities of the new UPNA archeology laboratory. Preliminary analyzes indicate that the individuals were between 34 and 40 weeks of gestation. For the moment, no pathological signs have been identified that could have left traces in their bones.
Radiocarbon dating and genetic studies will soon be carried out to determine the ethnic-cultural affiliation and possible kinship links between the four individuals. “The results, compared to those from other sites, could offer valuable information on the process of Roman acculturation developed in the middle Arga basin,” explains Íñigo Portela.
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