A team of archaeologists and archaeology students from the United States, Spain, Ireland and Britain recently worked on an archaeological dig to unearth an Iron Age/Celtic necropolis dating to the 5th century BCE at the settlement of Pintia in Valladolid, central Spain.
     The crew excavated nine cremation tombs belonging to the Vaccean culture, adding to nearly 200 burials discovered over the past decade at Pintia. The Vacceans were an early Celtic society in northern Europe, who founded the cities of Pallantia and Pintia. Research in this area of the site is helping investigators understand better the social organisation of these pre-Roman peoples. Two notable tombs were found completely intact, including several ceramic pendants carved to resemble metallic jewelry. The Pintia participants learned excavation and surveying techniques, plus how to treat and catalogue artifacts.

Edited from The Limerick Leader (18 September 2010)