Summary
The north-west of the Iberian Peninsula was densely occupied during the 1st millennium BC. Iron Age communities shaped ‘divided landscapes’ articulated by hilltop monumentalised sites: the castros (=hillforts). Considering their number and distribution across the region, the emergence of this settlement pattern can be interpreted as a clear boost in regional demography and, most importantly, a significant change in the way people interacted with the environment. Hillforts were inhabited by fully sedentary communities and surrounded by permanent agrarian plots, which shaped rural mosaic landscapes. These sites become the nodal points for archaeological investigations aiming to understand subsistence systems and the anthropogenic footprint of Iron Age groups in ancient landscapes. Bioarchaeological and geoarchaeological datasets suggest the existence of incipient manuring practices, diversified agricultural strategies –including crop rotations–, and complementarity between livestock management and agriculture. Paleoenvironmental studies inform us of a general progressive trend of clearance in the vegetation cover related to the extension of agriculture and herding activities, although some regional diversity is also observed. Therefore, recent research and the growing interdisciplinarity nature of archaeological discussions allow us to enhance our understanding of Iron Age societies in relation to the shaping of rural landscapes. This presentation examines the state of the art regarding Iron Age settlement patterns and subsistence strategies in NW Iberia, emphasising current challenges, knowledge gaps, and potential lines for inquiry in future archaeological investigations. We aim to nuance our understanding of regional and diachronic variability to better interpret Iron Age societies within the region.