Warrior stela from Solana de Cabañas

The so-called warrior or South-west stelas make up one of the defining features of the material culture of Late Bronze Age societies in the western Iberian Peninsula. This one is the prime example in a series from which we now know over one hundred monuments. They are simple monoliths created on local stones that have been superficially prepared to be driven into the ground and receive, on one side, a series of depictions often engraved in a very schematic way. They have traditionally been interpreted as tombstones or commemorative monuments for war lords. Today, they are alternatively interpreted as symbolic markers of the territory of a society in the process of definitive sedentarisation. Besides the stylised image of the individual, the main motifs consist of the weaponry of a warrior. In addition there are also objects that clearly indicate the influence of eastern Mediterranean cultures. Mirrors, combs and brooches are thus testimony to new customs in grooming and clothing. In addition, associated with weaponry, we find figures of two-wheeled carts pulled by pairs of animals, a recognisable symbol of power.