Turuñuelo

These are five unusual anthropomorphic busts dating from the 5th century BC, and they represent a paradigm shift in the iconic interpretation of Tartessian culture, considered as one of the earliest of the Western civilizations.

Esther Rodríguez, from the team at the Mérida Institute of Archaeology, mentioned at the press conference held on the same day that "This discovery changes the reading of art history."

Various hypotheses are being considered regarding the final flight of the Tartessians from this area of the south-west of the peninsula: either an imminent invasion by Celtic peoples or an extreme climatic phenomenon such as a flood or drought.

The current objective of the Construyendo Tarteso team - a project of the State Research Agency - is to find the eastern access to the remains of this two-storey building, that was discovered at the site, considered to be the best preserved in the western Mediterranean.

The excavated building has allowed the researchers to discover "construction techniques and architectural solutions that until now had not been documented in a Tartessian site".