Archaeologists excavating Guzmán Castle in northern Spain have uncovered new evidence of the medieval village that developed alongside the fortress, revealing domestic, storage and productive areas used by the community that lived there during the early Middle Ages.
The discoveries were made during the sixth season of archaeological work at the site, located in the province of Burgos. The project is directed by Alberto Polo Romero of Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC), whose team is investigating how the castle and surrounding settlement developed between the ninth and eleventh centuries.
One of the main results of the latest campaign has been the identification of the village associated with the castle. Archaeologists uncovered residential structures as well as areas used for storage and productive activities, providing evidence that a stable community lived alongside the fortification. The researchers believe these remains can help reconstruct everyday life among rural communities in the Duero Valley during the early Middle Ages.
The campaign has also confirmed two major construction phases at Guzmán Castle. Researchers are using these phases to better understand how the architecture and function of the fortress changed between the ninth and eleventh centuries.
“The results obtained allow us to go beyond the study of the castle as an isolated building,” says Polo Romero. “Today we can analyze the complex formed by the fortification, the village, the necropolis area and hermitage, as well as the productive spaces, bringing us closer to understanding how the territory was organized and how the first structures of local power were built in medieval Castile.”
A medieval landscape
Evidence of metallurgical production has also been found at the site, providing further information about the economic activities that supported the settlement. Researchers are increasingly examining Guzmán not simply as a medieval castle, but as a small territorial centre incorporating defensive, domestic, religious, funerary and productive spaces.
Among the artefacts recovered during the 2026 campaign was a rare bone crossbow nut, part of the mechanism used to hold and release a crossbow string. Few examples of this type of object are known from the Iberian Peninsula. Archaeologists also recovered numerous ceramic fragments and other metal objects.
The excavation brought together students and researchers from Rey Juan Carlos University, the University of Cantabria and the University of Alicante, with support from local and regional institutions.
The campaign concluded with the scientific conference Pensar lo rural, held last month in Guzmán, as well as a guided tour of the archaeological site attended by more than 130 people.
Researchers hope continued investigation will provide a more detailed picture of the communities that inhabited this part of medieval Castile and the development of local centres of power during the early Middle Ages.
Archaeologists excavating Guzmán Castle in northern Spain have uncovered new evidence of the medieval village that developed alongside the fortress, revealing domestic, storage and productive areas used by the community that lived there during the early Middle Ages.
The discoveries were made during the sixth season of archaeological work at the site, located in the province of Burgos. The project is directed by Alberto Polo Romero of Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC), whose team is investigating how the castle and surrounding settlement developed between the ninth and eleventh centuries.
One of the main results of the latest campaign has been the identification of the village associated with the castle. Archaeologists uncovered residential structures as well as areas used for storage and productive activities, providing evidence that a stable community lived alongside the fortification. The researchers believe these remains can help reconstruct everyday life among rural communities in the Duero Valley during the early Middle Ages.
The campaign has also confirmed two major construction phases at Guzmán Castle. Researchers are using these phases to better understand how the architecture and function of the fortress changed between the ninth and eleventh centuries.
“The results obtained allow us to go beyond the study of the castle as an isolated building,” says Polo Romero. “Today we can analyze the complex formed by the fortification, the village, the necropolis area and hermitage, as well as the productive spaces, bringing us closer to understanding how the territory was organized and how the first structures of local power were built in medieval Castile.”
A medieval landscape
Evidence of metallurgical production has also been found at the site, providing further information about the economic activities that supported the settlement. Researchers are increasingly examining Guzmán not simply as a medieval castle, but as a small territorial centre incorporating defensive, domestic, religious, funerary and productive spaces.
Among the artefacts recovered during the 2026 campaign was a rare bone crossbow nut, part of the mechanism used to hold and release a crossbow string. Few examples of this type of object are known from the Iberian Peninsula. Archaeologists also recovered numerous ceramic fragments and other metal objects.
The excavation brought together students and researchers from Rey Juan Carlos University, the University of Cantabria and the University of Alicante, with support from local and regional institutions.
The campaign concluded with the scientific conference Pensar lo rural, held last month in Guzmán, as well as a guided tour of the archaeological site attended by more than 130 people.
Researchers hope continued investigation will provide a more detailed picture of the communities that inhabited this part of medieval Castile and the development of local centres of power during the early Middle Ages.
Top Image: Excavation site at Guzman Castle in northern Spain. Photo by Polillosg / Wikimedia Commons
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