Location of hillfort culture settlements by means of aerial archaeology in the municipality of Carral, Galicia

Abstract

The use of aerial photography as an archaeological tool allows the identification of archaeological remains and human settlements, and may also provide knowledge about their evolution within their surroundings. However, this identification must be accompanied by the support of documentary or oral sources as, in some cases, aerial photography by itself does not allow their identification, due to the changes and the evolution of the countryside. Using the potential of aerial photography to identify the archaeological heritage, various Iron Age settlements were analysed in an area of the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in an area in the municipality of Carral. These settlements are termed “castros”, and are characteristic of the Hillfort or Castro (Castrexa Culture) in Galicia.