Over 5,000 Years of History

The first documented settlement within the municipality dates back to the Late Neolithic period, in a storage pit excavated at Cerro del Real, dated between 3769–3642 cal BC.

During the Early Copper Age (3000–2700 cal BC), numerous settlements have been documented, although the population in the area remained very sparse.

During the Bronze Age, a large number of settlements are known in Galera, including Castellón Alto, where the Mummy of Galera was discovered. These are the oldest mummified remains on the Iberian Peninsula.

After the abandonment of virtually all Argaric settlements, the Late Bronze Age Culture of the Southeast (1400-1250 cal. BC) represents a restructuring of settlement patterns, with a significant reduction in the number of settlements. At this time, a new settlement was established at Cerro del Real.

The Iberian settlement was structured around the oppidum of Tútugi, located on Cerro del Real, which reached its peak between the end of the 5th century and the 3rd century BC.

The necropolis of Tútugi is located north of the settlement and across the Orce river, covering an extensive area characterized by a landscape of small hills used for the placement of artificial burial mounds that cover a chamber.

Tomb 20 was the first to be built and stands out both for its architecture, constructed with precise measurements and astronomical orientation, and for its grave goods, among which the Goddess of Galera was found.

With the landing of Roman troops at Emporion in 218 BC, a period of nearly two centuries known as Romanization began.

We do not know what kind of relationship the inhabitants of Iberian Tútugi established with the Romans, but the fact that the city continued to be inhabited and retained its Iberian name suggests it did not resist violently, unlike other nearby settlements where violent resistance has been documented.