These days we need to excite our minds, and hillforts are a great option to do so. I'm going to tell you about an object found in the small hillfort of Xanceda (Mesía, #Galicia) that will blow your minds.

#HillfortsWednesday
During the 20th century, in the outer enclosure of the hillfort, the farming family found different fragments of torques and even whole torques. "Coffin handles appear!", they said.

But what torques!

#hillfortswednesday
During the 20th century, in the outer enclosure of the hillfort, the farming family found different fragments of torques and even whole torques. "Coffin handles appear!", they said. But what torques! #hillfortswednesday
During the 20th century, in the outer enclosure of the hillfort, the farming family found different fragments of torques and even whole torques. "Coffin handles appear!", they said. But what torques! #hillfortswednesday
During the 20th century, in the outer enclosure of the hillfort, the farming family found different fragments of torques and even whole torques. "Coffin handles appear!", they said. But what torques! #hillfortswednesday
The hillfort of Xanceda is on the border of the territory of the Artabri, an Iron Age people famous for their great gold torques. But those of Xanceda were different. They looked like gold, but they were silver! The gilding was given just by a thin sheet.

#hillfortswednesday
They are unusial, baroque, excessive, full of symbols. But when examined, researchers were suprised. They opened disturbing questions around how we thought these wonderful jewels were worn.

#hillfortswednesday
They are unusial, baroque, excessive, full of symbols. But when examined, researchers were suprised. They opened disturbing questions around how we thought these wonderful jewels were worn. #hillfortswednesday
They are unusial, baroque, excessive, full of symbols. But when examined, researchers were suprised. They opened disturbing questions around how we thought these wonderful jewels were worn. #hillfortswednesday
They are unusial, baroque, excessive, full of symbols. But when examined, researchers were suprised. They opened disturbing questions around how we thought these wonderful jewels were worn. #hillfortswednesday
Since classical times, the torques has always been worn around the neck by warriors as a symbol of power and status in war.

"It can't be," said archaeologist Xosé Lois Ladra, "the decoration of the torcs from Xanceda is not designed to be hidden on the neck.

#hillfortswednesday
Since classical times, the torques has always been worn around the neck by warriors as a symbol of power and status in war."It can't be," said archaeologist Xosé Lois Ladra, "the decoration of the torcs from Xanceda is not designed to be hidden on the neck. #hillfortswednesday
Since classical times, the torques has always been worn around the neck by warriors as a symbol of power and status in war."It can't be," said archaeologist Xosé Lois Ladra, "the decoration of the torcs from Xanceda is not designed to be hidden on the neck. #hillfortswednesday
There was something else, something surprising. Five days ago, the museum showed an experience on the internet. It rattled the torches. They are like rattles, each with a different tuning!

#hillfortswednesday https://twitter.com/museos_H_coruna/status/1357661238021541889
The sound of these torques suggests that they may have been used in other ways, waved in the hands, perhaps as part of a ritual we don't know about, accompanied by words and gestures that have disappeared.

#hillfortswednesday
By the way, this hillfort is an example of how interconnected history is. Less than a kilometre away is the country manor of Sir Felipe Fernández-Armesto, pseudonym Augusto Assía. He had a life like a film during the WWII.

#hillfortswednesday
As a foreign correspondent, he was expelled from Nazi Germany by Goebbels and told the whole of WWII from London. He was a friend of Winston Churchill, a probable spy and helped to confuse the Nazis about the Normandy landings with disinformation.

#hillfortswednesday
Augusto Assía was present during the entire Nuremberg trial. Many years ago, after visiting the hillfort, I ate in the huge library of the manor. On a diploma on the wall, I discovered the signature of the Queen Elizabeth. They told me this incredible story.

#hillfortswednesday
Pics of the torcs by Xosé Lois Ladra. You can learn more about them in this paper from him (Galician language). MDT by @fonte_joao

#HillfortsWednesday

https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/1399758.pdf
Enjoy it? If you can't stop of #hillforting, check my whole stuff in the Moments

#HillfortsWednesday https://twitter.com/i/events/1277290077073391616
Galician hillforts & Iron Age

https://twitter.com/i/events/1277290077073391616
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