Granite brutes: The Vetton bull of Villanueva del Campillo and the boars of the Amblés Valley (Ávila)
Abstract
Some general considerations are offered on the study of the famous Vetton boars, granite sculptures of bulls and pigs, from the Late Iron Age in the lands of the Western Spanish Plateau. Then is analysed the situation of the sculptures in the Amblés Valley (Ávila), the area with the highest concentration of boars in the entire Vetton territory. We next concentrate on the two sculptures found in Villanueva del Campillo, a large bull and a pig. The former is monumental, of great dimensions and the largest sculpture in Celtic Europe. The context of the discovery, the characteristics of the huge bull and its possible interpretations and meaning are analyzed. Prioritizing the idea of quality pasture markers by the Vetton elites. It also reflects on the story of the sculptures' transfer from their original location to the nearby village square.
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