167
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
E. Boutsikas et al. (eds.), Advancing Cultural Astronomy, Historical & Cultural
Astronomy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64606-6_8
Diachrony and the Big Picture: Chabola de
la Hechicera, a Peculiar Orientation
and a Sacred Landscape
A. César González-García
1 Introduction
Megalithic monuments abound in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula. They
appear in the local late Neolithic as the result of a complex process of crystallization
of this period’s social dynamics on the landscape. In general, most of the megalithic
chambers appear as more or less elaborate passage graves under a conspicuous earth
mound. Their location has been investigated in the last decades in search of patterns
within the framework of Landscape Archaeology. This has allowed us to understand
their connection with mountain passes, fords, or possible prehistoric routes (Alday
Ruiz et al. El Neolítico en la Península Ibérica y su Contexto Europeo. Cátedra,
Madrid, 2012, pp. 291–332). Archaeoastronomy has also highlighted the coherence
of Megalithic monument orientation throughout large regions, perhaps pointing at
the presence of common traits within larger areas than can be indicated by other
material remains found at or near the burial grounds themselves (González-García
and Belmonte, J History Astronomy, 41: 225–238, 2010).
Chabola de la Hechicera (Sorceress’ Shack) forms part of a small cluster of passage graves in the vicinity of the river Ebro and the Sierra de Cantabria, in the Rioja
Alavesa wine region. Michael Hoskin measured the orientation of most of these
graves in the late 90s (Hoskin, Tombs, temples and their orientations. A new perspective on mediterranean prehistory. Ocarina Books, Bognor Regis, 2001) showing that, contrary to the general custom across most of Iberia and particularly in this
area of north-central Spain, the corridors opened towards the south or southsoutheast. Also, when inspecting the panoramic view and some images of the site, a
particularly interesting topographic feature catches our attention. At the northeastern extreme of the Sierra de Cantabria, the chain of mountains that constrains
A. C. González-García (*)
Institute of Heritage Science, Incipit—CSIC, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
e-mail: a.cesar.gonzalez-garcia@incipit.csic.es
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
E. Boutsikas et al. (eds.), Advancing Cultural Astronomy, Historical & Cultural
Astronomy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64606-6_8
Diachrony and the Big Picture: Chabola de
la Hechicera, a Peculiar Orientation
and a Sacred Landscape
A. César González-García
1 Introduction
Megalithic monuments abound in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula. They
appear in the local late Neolithic as the result of a complex process of crystallization
of this period’s social dynamics on the landscape. In general, most of the megalithic
chambers appear as more or less elaborate passage graves under a conspicuous earth
mound. Their location has been investigated in the last decades in search of patterns
within the framework of Landscape Archaeology. This has allowed us to understand
their connection with mountain passes, fords, or possible prehistoric routes (Alday
Ruiz et al. El Neolítico en la Península Ibérica y su Contexto Europeo. Cátedra,
Madrid, 2012, pp. 291–332). Archaeoastronomy has also highlighted the coherence
of Megalithic monument orientation throughout large regions, perhaps pointing at
the presence of common traits within larger areas than can be indicated by other
material remains found at or near the burial grounds themselves (González-García
and Belmonte, J History Astronomy, 41: 225–238, 2010).
Chabola de la Hechicera (Sorceress’ Shack) forms part of a small cluster of passage graves in the vicinity of the river Ebro and the Sierra de Cantabria, in the Rioja
Alavesa wine region. Michael Hoskin measured the orientation of most of these
graves in the late 90s (Hoskin, Tombs, temples and their orientations. A new perspective on mediterranean prehistory. Ocarina Books, Bognor Regis, 2001) showing that, contrary to the general custom across most of Iberia and particularly in this
area of north-central Spain, the corridors opened towards the south or southsoutheast. Also, when inspecting the panoramic view and some images of the site, a
particularly interesting topographic feature catches our attention. At the northeastern extreme of the Sierra de Cantabria, the chain of mountains that constrains
A. C. González-García (*)
Institute of Heritage Science, Incipit—CSIC, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
e-mail: a.cesar.gonzalez-garcia@incipit.csic.es