Although our archaeological documentation lacks information about the condition and function of Paleolithic human settlements, we can find some clues from studies that began with the Magdalenian culture.
These changes, often referred to by prehistorians as Azrian and Asturias, may have stemmed from the relative scarcity of sites, but new cultural forms in places like Sant'Adriano and La Luela may shed new light on us.
Although we lack archaeological documentation from the Neolithic, megalithic, and Bronze Age centuries, we can find first signs of productive economies (such as livestock, agriculture, and metallurgy) and more stable habitats.
Most of these truly primitive historical settlements occur in areas close to the central lands of Naron, such as Alamo, La Cobertoria, Riosa, Quiros, Teberga and Graou, among others.
Although there are still some difficulties in our understanding, we look forward to studying these sites to gain a deeper understanding of the condition and function of human settlements.
In the neighboring Council of Proasa there are several archaeological finds related to the tombs, although it is not clear if there are similar finds in Sant'Adriano, but it is very likely.
In addition, although a complete archaeological map of the site was made based on previous systematic exploration, the ability to search for mineral resources may help locate and map more accurately.
In the same territory of San Adriano, in particular in the famous Estope Mountains, copper deposits can be found, and near Lavares there is iron ore and, possibly, **, which will be analyzed in depth later in this article.
Beginning in the Late Bronze Period (end of the eighth century BC), the Castro culture began to emerge and occupy an important place. In San Adriano we have been able to identify up to six Castro settlements, marked and clarified in a way that will give the opportunity to see all the productive spaces of this territory, most of which have already been created by Jm.Gonzalez catalog.
Although there is currently little representation of archaeological documents on the form of these settlements, the sites of the original caste sites have been preserved. Although the defensive structures have been severely deteriorated by natural factors and man-made actions, and it is impossible to find the remains of stone dwellings in them, if they had been built in them, the dwellings could have been built with more unstable and perishable materials such as leaves, wood, earth.
Among the characteristics of material culture during these long periods, the most representative objects probably date back to around the eighth century BC and although not found, it is still possible to find them in the future.
Pe Acastielludeguanga is a powerful spur located in the mountain range of the same name, at the top of which is 400 meters above sea level. This place was the site of the Castello Castle in the first half of the 12th century and its strategic location was of great importance.
Although it currently belongs to the Council of Oviedo, it can actually be said that it is located at the entrance to the ** valley of the territory of San Adriano. The name of this place also appears in the tenure of Temitorium, Alfoce or Tguanga.
Halfway up the western slope, we find an amazing natural cave of great size and whose function has not yet been revealed. The cave doesn't appear in any mods or craters, making us wonder if it could be related to a medieval fortress.
According to our inference, this cave may have been built on the site of the ancient settlement of Castellinho. Although there is no conclusive evidence to prove this hypothesis, based on the old Castro buildings in the vicinity and the many church factories and castles promoted by Alfonso III, we believe that the cave has some connection to a medieval fortress.
Although there is no written information about this cave yet, there are already some brief references mentioning it. Although no archaeological research has been conducted, Guangga has been the subject of much discussion.
The authors have investigated the cave and found that the structure of the cave has deteriorated so badly that it can only be speculated by documenting a clear sequence between possible pre-Roman, Roman, and medieval occupations.
In the process, we can be sure that there are many Roman ceramic remains and the presence of Roman traditions in this cave. However, due to the devastation of the walls and the poor condition, it is difficult for us to determine the exact date and possible entrance to this cave.
Small wall panels are supported on projections of live rock to close the passage space, probably a flat part of the moat trace mountain range at the junction of the fortress.
In the highest part, some terraces are used as seating for the building, although nothing has been discovered at the moment. A group of pottery containing Roman traditions, early medieval and modern features has been found, which may echo the successive historical phases of the site.
Among them, several ceramics were found, similar to Roman brick or Roman style, red paste-like and with residues of degreasers, mica or quartzite, reminiscent of those times.
In addition, there is a set of large quantities of red and gray ceramics, undecorated or with comb-like decorations of various shapes, which were common in the production environment of much of the Middle Ages in Asturias, also appear in the inventory of many castles and ruins of the same period, and are mentioned in the chapter on gray ceramics.
In addition to this, from the point of view of monitoring and control of space, the site, in addition to being located at the confluence of the Sama-Peravia and Trubia valleys, controls access to Caminreal de la Mesa.
This river valley starts from the valley of Trubia, passes through the castle of Monte, Linares and Sogroto (Proasa) to the highlands of Tamesa, where it meets the aforementioned Vegade Tower[1] card.
It is worth noting that the Guanga of Castello Castle also took control of Elmontobu, a large agricultural space located in San Andrés.
While working on meadows and pastures, we also faced one of the limitations in the 891 document, the famous donation limit. This sparsely populated Pira is close to the space dominated by the Castello Castle, but it is not within the extensive visual control, which poses a challenge for the management of the meadows and pastures.
On the left bank of the Trubia, there are no more Castro ruins, the three hills of the Mayor and Cantu Castillo separate the production space of Castagneu del Monte from that of San Romano (Villanueva) and Tuñón, without any sign of Castagni architecture, only three peaks, relatively high (picolacerra, the highest, 668 meters above sea level), which constitute a huge rock almost completely covered by holm oaks and used by livestock the least.
To the southwest of the original territory of San Adriano, at the foot of the hill on the right bank of the valley, near the town of Serandi (currently one of the three villages of Samartí de Vilamesín), there is one known as Cantul'The fortress of Arbeyal, 385 meters above sea level.
Although it is in the work of Jm.Gonzalez's elaborate cast of Castros is revealed, but its original structure is no longer recognizable.
The remains of some ancient city walls have been found, which are difficult to date but have a pronounced outline and may have served as a defensive moat to isolate the mountains. Many of the farms near the fort were enclosed with strong stone walls, which were probably taken from the ruins of the nearby Castellani site and reused.
Trubian River Cantul'The Arbeyal has a great ability to control, and despite its low elevation on the river valley, it can conveniently control agriculture and animal husbandry in the region as well as the fertile Great Plains of Trubia.
These plains are directly connected to Villanueva and Proasa, Elsabil, one of the southernmost neighborhoods in Villanueva, which is clearly visible from this site.
On the other hand, the vernacular ore of Albéal can guard the entrance to Quiros through the old road that crosses the Archela mountain and the branch that connects to Camenda Mesa from the bottom of the Proasa valley.
The Serandi is one of the villas that included Alfonso III in the real donation (Villa Pando Serandi) in 891, which we will mention again later in the analysis of the first documentary testimonies about the high settlements of the Middle Ages in our territory.
Further northeast, on the same church and in the town of Sant'Adriano, near the border of Valdo Lays, in the small town of Tenebreo. Due to its location and rocky settlements, the site is cut almost vertically into a valley, the presence of which the author considers noteworthy.