Changes

The late Bronze Age began around the 11th century BC with three different cultural currents predominating: Central European, Atlantic, and Eastern Mediterranean. With an increase in cultural exchanges, these civilisations mixed with native cultures, eventually evolving into what are known as Pre-Roman cultures. Major changes took place and new traditions arose. In the Northwest, they began to cremate their dead and leave their ashes in urnfields, while in the middle of the Peninsula and in the northern and western regions, highly sophisticated bronze weapons and objects were commercially traded. And lastly, merchants and new cultural groups arose in the Mediterranean and southern regions of the Peninsula, foreshadowing the future colonisation of these areas. Meanwhile, advances in metallurgy led to the development of goldsmithing, as evidenced by the Treasure of Villena (Alicante). Livestock routes stretching inland were also built, as revealed at some excavation sites such as Peña Negra in Crevillent (Alicante). These external influences did not, however, impede indigenous development. Examples of this can be seen from the Cogotas culture, which extended to the Douro and Tagus river basins starting in the 11th century BC, as well as from the Talayotic culture on the Balearic Islands at the end of the Naviform period.

[[File:Enelaboracion.jpg|center|thumb|none|300px|Map: The Bronze Age. Spain.

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<span style="color: #b20027; ">16028 [PDF]. [Datos]. </span>]]The dawning of the Iron Age on the Peninsula meant a new era in the Neolithic, but it did not lead to significant cultural changes for the people who settled on the Iberian Peninsula at that time.

The Early Iron Age is characterised by two large civilisations occupying two distinct Iberian geographical regions: one in the south and the other, in the east of the Peninsula. The accepted notion that these civilisations were influenced by Mediterranean cultures is supported by the discovery of Protocolonial remnants on the east coast. There is also evidence of Phoenician colonisations in the Southern Mediterranean and Atlantic (Gadir) regions and of the first Greek colonies, including those established by groups under Greek influence. Moreover, there were the great Tartessian settlements in Andalusia, particularly along the Tinto, Odiel and Lower Guadalquivir rivers.

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