Return to our Iberian past

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Return to our Iberian past

Historical Catalonia

Iberian culture developed from the 6th century BC in a vast region of the western Mediterranean. It is a set of diverse towns that share a series of cultural features. Like the Greeks or the Etruscans, they have a complex and developed civilization with urban and commercial networks.

In Catalonia there are numerous archaeological testimonies of the Iberian past. Different tribes were settled in the Catalan territory , among which the most important were, in the coastal area: the indigets in the Empordà, the laietans on the Barcelona coast and the costalians in Camp de Tarragona. And in the interior area the ilergetes, who had their capital in Lleida.

The tribes were structured in generally walled cities located in mountains, hills or plateaus to facilitate defense and from where cultivation areas could be dominated.

They created semisyllabic writing (a mixed system with alphabetic and syllabic signs), which has not yet been possible to translate. They were the first town in the Iberian peninsula to use iron metallurgy in a general way, which enabled a true revolution in agricultural practices, the development of ceramics and monetary circulation with minting of own currency that favored commercial activities.

If you want to learn and know more details about these our ancestors, we suggest that you get to know the Iberian Route, a cultural tourism project coordinated by the Museum of Archeology of Catalonia that aims to publicize the main Iberian sites in our country, thus like the towns that inhabited them.

Related routes

Experiences

Visit the Iberian settlement of Estinclells in Verdú

Verdú

The Iber dels Estinclells archaeological site, located about four kilometers from Verdú, belonged to the Ilerget people. Its activity was very brief, dating from the 3rd century BC and abandoned around 200 BC, meaning it has survived…

Featured

Centre d’Interpretació el Camp de les Lloses

Tona

Museu de les Aigües

Cornellà de Llobregat

Descobreix Tarraco, L'empremta de Roma

Tarragona

Ciutat ibèrica d'Ullastret

Ullastret

Turisme Baix Llobregat

Abrera, Begues, Castelldefels, Castellví de Rosanes, Cervelló, Collbató, Corbera de Llobregat, Cornellà de Llobregat, El Papiol, El Prat de Llobregat, Esparreguera, Esplugues de Llobregat, Gavà, La Palma de Cervelló, Martorell, Molins de Rei, Olesa de Montserrat, Pallejà, Sant Andreu de la Barca, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Sant Climent de Llobregat, Sant Esteve Sesrovires, Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Sant Joan Despí, Sant Just Desvern, Sant Vicenç dels Horts, Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Torrelles de Llobregat, Vallirana, Viladecans

Coves de Benifallet

Benifallet

Espai Moja. Catalunya: Patrimoni viu

Barcelona

Events

Iberian weekend in the Iberian settlements of Verdú, Almenara Alta, Tornabous

From 1 to 2 October 2022

Like every year, the first weekend of October presents a great opportunity to learn what the people of our lands were like 2,200 years ago. The Iberian Weekend is the most important annual event of the Route of the Iberians and attracts more…

Tree Festival in Viladrau

From 21 to 22 March

Viladrau celebrates the Tree Festival once again! Perhaps many people do not know it, but the Tree Festival is a Catalan initiative that is more than 100 years old. Faced with the alarming deforestation that Catalonia was suffering at the end…

Alternative Fair in l'Ametlla de Mar

From 27 to 29 March

During the weekend the Alternative Fair, a market for natural and artisanal products, will take place in l'Ametlla de Mar. The Bon Repós Park, the former location of the market, and its nearby streets, will host the attractive and original…

Fair "Lliga't a la terra" in Santa Eulàlia de Ronçana

18 April

A new edition of the "Lliga't a la terra" (Come to the Land) Fair is coming to Santa Eulàlia de Ronçana! This year's farmers' fair will be held at the La Fábrica Civic and Cultural Center. The event, which will take place…

Santpedor en Flor

From 1 to 3 May

The flower takes center stage at Santpedor en Flor! Santpedor en Flor will transform the streets of the old town this weekend with a wide variety of artistic offerings, exhibitions, and workshops inspired by meteorological phenomena. The historic…

May 22, International Day for Biological Diversity

22 May

The International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated every year on May 22, commemorating the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992. The day aims to raise awareness and knowledge about biodiversity, as well as to…

TERRA IBÈRICA Festival in Calafell

From 30 July to 2 August

The TERRA IBÈRICA historical reenactment festival returns to Calafell for another year! TERRA IBÈRICA is a festival dedicated to promoting Iberian culture and its historical context, held at the Iberian Citadel of Calafell. This…

'Les Nits de Tyrika' Festival in Alcanar

From 24 to 27 September

Alcanar is preparing once again to travel back to the origins of its history for a whole weekend! For four days, the festival invites visitors to discover new forms of contemporary creation and explore the dialogue between past and present.…

Iberian Weekend in Bolvir

From 3 to 4 October

Bolvir proposes a guided tour of the El Castellot site during the weekend, an activity designed to get closer to the archaeological heritage of the municipality and discover this space accompanied by a guided explanation. The visit will take…

La Pitavola del Comapedrosa, Andorra

From 3 to 4 October

The Comapedrosa Natural Park commemorates the date of its creation with this annual event that takes place in Arinsal, the main gateway to the park. The event wants to reach all lovers of the mountain and the traditions that surround it to…

October 24th, International Day Against Climate Change

24 October

October 24th is a key date for us. Climate change is not a distant threat or someone else's problem. It's here, it's now, and it affects us all. Episodes of extreme drought, more aggressive fires, and relentless heat waves are clear symptoms…