Las once estelas medievales que se dan a conocer aquí
proceden de dos yacimientos arqueológicos distintos, situados en el
término de Quintanapalla (Burgos) e identificados con los despoblados
medievales de Villarmiros y Castrillejo. Ambos presentan características
comunes (material, técnicas, rusticidad y funcionalidad),
aunque se significan sobre todo por sus diferencias. En Villarmiros
perviven motivos precristianos de carácter solar (circunferencias,
sogueados, aspas…) y falta la cruz cristiana. Esto y las referencias
diplomáticas sitúan su cronología entre los siglos X y XI, o tal vez
algo antes. Castrillejo, en cambio, destaca por el uso de cruces griegas
inscritas en círculo, seguramente pertenecientes al siglo XIII.
The eleven medieval stelai which are discussed herein
come from two different archaeological sites which are located in
the municipality of Quintanapalla (Burgos) and are identified with
the abandoned medieval villages of Villarmiros and Castrillejo. Both
have common features (common materials, common techniques, a
common rural character, and a common functionality); however, what
makes them noteworthy stems, above all, from their differences. In
Villarmiros, pre-Christian motifs of a solar nature (circumferences,
rope-twist designs, vanes, etc.) prevail, and a Christian cross is not
there. That, along with diplomatic references, bring their date to between the tenth and eleventh centuries – or perhaps earlier. Castrillejo, on the other hand, stands out because of its use of Greek crosses
inscribed in a circle, surely belonging to the thirteenth century.
