Jesús drove us out to this outstanding castle on the other side of the mountains. The weather here was dramatically different from the rain and gloom of La Loma and Mount Bernorio, on the north side of the mountains. Within the castle is a collection of archaeological and historic objects, including some items from Mount Bernorio, like the incredible horse brooch you see here. Jesús explained to me the significance of the horse as a symbol of Iron Age warrior culture, more specifically to Cantabrian or Celtiberian warrior culture. Solar symbols are etched into the horse. Two stylised, severed human heads hang from the horse's head, designed to evoke images of warriors returning home with the heads of their enemies hanging from their horse's neck as symbols of power and prestige. Apparently, beheading was reserved for only the most respected, brave and skilled enemies. Having your head and hands cut off was an honour.
Behind the Scenes
Eventually, when the artefacts from La Loma & Mount Bernorio are cleaned up, many of them are handed over to the Palencia Museum. We had time to pay them a visit to look at the impressive collection on display. The museum itself is beautifully laid out and just look at the material on display! All of it part of the story of the Cantabrian War. SO many arrowheads and projectiles, including incendiaries. Countless nails from the boots of Roman soldiers. My aim is to return there to film it properly, and focus on a select few items in detail. There is so much to explore and I won't have the time to cover it all.
Driving to another location, we get a glimpse of Mount Bernorio looming over the landscape. I've been talking and thinking about this mountain for so long and this is the first time I've seen it in with my own eyes. You can see how anyone living here had a commanding view of the surrounding landscape. I'll probably try and get back to shoot it properly from this angle. On this day, it looked clear enough to get up to the top, but of course we were just passing, on our way to an appointment elsewhere.
It was cold and wet but we made the best of it! We managed some filming at La Loma Iron Age fort and some moody GV's from the incredible castle of Argueso in the heart of the Cantabrian Mountains. Where we also replenished with Spanish-style snacks. On the other side of the mountains, at another stunning castle -Ampudia - the sky was spectacular.