175
indicates that the coherence of the group is not only present at the typological architectural features, meaning the shape of the structure, but also at a more formal one
that includes how the monument is placed and located in the local environment.
Although the monuments appear in close vicinity, the mean distance to the nearest neighbour grave is 2.5 km (De Carlos Izquierdo, 1988) and, although some of
them present intervisibility relations, not all are visible to each other. Spatial studies
of this megalithic group indicate that the monuments seem to be in general on the
middle ground between the river Ebro and the Sierra and that the monuments were
built on a potentially important economic route running east to west (Alday Ruiz
et al., 2012; De Carlos Izquierdo, 1988).
It is important to note that the river Ebro is not directly visible from any of the
nine megaliths (including here Hechicera; see Fig. 2d). However, it is clear that the
corridors open to the south, facing the furthest horizon seen from their location. In
particular, Sierra de Iregua (c. 35 km away) can be seen in that direction on clear
days. The orientation of the corridors is not facing towards the closest neighbouring
grave. The horizon towards north is high and at close proximity due to the Sierra de
Cantabria Mountains just a few km away. In fact, we have checked also the direction
looking from the outside in, instead of the customary inside out. Taking into account
the height of the horizon we can notice two main facts. The first is that the monuments point always to the Sierra, but each points to different parts. The second is
that if we consider the declination, i.e. the part of the sky that such directions might
be pointing at, the spread of the data is larger than in the opposite direction. While
to the south the declinations for the eight monuments cluster on just two values,
towards north they spread at several different values. An astronomical intention
towards north then seems more speculative than to the southern skies.
The wind could be a driving factor in the orientation of the corridors, as indicated
above. The prevailing winds in the area today are running east west due to the configuration of the local orography, and one might argue that the same winds could
have been important in the past. The orientation towards the south could thus avoid
those winds, but this still does not answer why all structures seem to be directed so
narrowly towards two particular spots and not spread around the perpendicular of
the wind direction, as one might expect if this were the only explanation.
Given the interesting visibility relation between Hechicera and Lapoblación
Mountain, we took the chance to verify if the peak was visible from all monuments
and then measure the direction towards its summit (see Table 1 and Fig. 4). We must
remember that the corridors are not facing this mountain, but it appears as a prominent spot on the local horizon. The peak is visible from seven megalithic chambers
(including Hechicera). In all cases, it appears to the northeast, ranging from declinations +13° to +28.5°. We could speculate that the visibility of this mountain could
have been related to the sighting of a ‘summer’ sunrise from the end of April to mid
August. It might be noticeable that in most cases this peak appears to be roughly
perpendicular to the direction of the corridor.
In the close vicinity of this megalithic cluster there is a number of burials in rock
shelters in the Sierra de Cantabria (Fernández-Eraso & Mujika-Alustiza, 2013).
Recent results suggest that there was a cultural difference between the people buried
Diachrony and the Big Picture: Chabola de la Hechicera, a Peculiar Orientation…
indicates that the coherence of the group is not only present at the typological architectural features, meaning the shape of the structure, but also at a more formal one
that includes how the monument is placed and located in the local environment.
Although the monuments appear in close vicinity, the mean distance to the nearest neighbour grave is 2.5 km (De Carlos Izquierdo, 1988) and, although some of
them present intervisibility relations, not all are visible to each other. Spatial studies
of this megalithic group indicate that the monuments seem to be in general on the
middle ground between the river Ebro and the Sierra and that the monuments were
built on a potentially important economic route running east to west (Alday Ruiz
et al., 2012; De Carlos Izquierdo, 1988).
It is important to note that the river Ebro is not directly visible from any of the
nine megaliths (including here Hechicera; see Fig. 2d). However, it is clear that the
corridors open to the south, facing the furthest horizon seen from their location. In
particular, Sierra de Iregua (c. 35 km away) can be seen in that direction on clear
days. The orientation of the corridors is not facing towards the closest neighbouring
grave. The horizon towards north is high and at close proximity due to the Sierra de
Cantabria Mountains just a few km away. In fact, we have checked also the direction
looking from the outside in, instead of the customary inside out. Taking into account
the height of the horizon we can notice two main facts. The first is that the monuments point always to the Sierra, but each points to different parts. The second is
that if we consider the declination, i.e. the part of the sky that such directions might
be pointing at, the spread of the data is larger than in the opposite direction. While
to the south the declinations for the eight monuments cluster on just two values,
towards north they spread at several different values. An astronomical intention
towards north then seems more speculative than to the southern skies.
The wind could be a driving factor in the orientation of the corridors, as indicated
above. The prevailing winds in the area today are running east west due to the configuration of the local orography, and one might argue that the same winds could
have been important in the past. The orientation towards the south could thus avoid
those winds, but this still does not answer why all structures seem to be directed so
narrowly towards two particular spots and not spread around the perpendicular of
the wind direction, as one might expect if this were the only explanation.
Given the interesting visibility relation between Hechicera and Lapoblación
Mountain, we took the chance to verify if the peak was visible from all monuments
and then measure the direction towards its summit (see Table 1 and Fig. 4). We must
remember that the corridors are not facing this mountain, but it appears as a prominent spot on the local horizon. The peak is visible from seven megalithic chambers
(including Hechicera). In all cases, it appears to the northeast, ranging from declinations +13° to +28.5°. We could speculate that the visibility of this mountain could
have been related to the sighting of a ‘summer’ sunrise from the end of April to mid
August. It might be noticeable that in most cases this peak appears to be roughly
perpendicular to the direction of the corridor.
In the close vicinity of this megalithic cluster there is a number of burials in rock
shelters in the Sierra de Cantabria (Fernández-Eraso & Mujika-Alustiza, 2013).
Recent results suggest that there was a cultural difference between the people buried
Diachrony and the Big Picture: Chabola de la Hechicera, a Peculiar Orientation…