What is tarteso?

Tartessos was a culture that arose in the southwestern part of the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Andalusia, Spain) around the 8th century BCE. It was one of the earliest recorded cultures in the region and is known for its extensive trade network and advanced metalworking techniques. The Tartessians had contact with other ancient Mediterranean cultures, including the Phoenicians and the Greeks. They were believed to have been wealthy due to their strategic location for trade and their abundant natural resources, especially gold and silver. Tartessos gradually declined during the 5th and 4th centuries BCE and was eventually absorbed by the Carthaginians and later by the Romans. The exact location of Tartessos is still debated among scholars, and archaeological evidence has been found in various parts of Andalusia.