Sites & cities that bear the name of Bulls of Guisando

Bulls of Guisando

Today in : Spain
First trace of activity : ca. 2nd century B.C.E
Last trace of activity : ca. 2nd century B.C.E
Recorded names : Toros de Guisando, El Tiemblo

Description : The Bulls of Guisando (Spanish: Toros de Guisando) are a set of sculptures located on the hill of Guisando in the municipality of El Tiemblo, Ávila, Spain. The four sculptures, made of granite, represent quadrupeds identified as bulls or pigs. The balance of opinion favours bulls: there are holes which have been interpreted as sockets for horns. The Bulls of Guisando are examples of a type of ancient sculpture called verracos of which hundreds are known. They are associated with the territory of the pre-Roman peoples known as the Vettones. The Bulls may have been made during the 2nd century BCE. Whether they are in their original position is debatable. There are some Latin graffiti on them which may mean they were repositioned in Roman times. The field around the Bulls was the place where the Treaty of the Bulls of Guisando was signed between Henry IV of Castile and his half-sister Isabella of Castille on September 18, 1468, which granted her the title of Princess of Asturias thus ending a civil war in Castile.

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