Birth House of Briteiros 2

The "birth house" of Briteiros 2, located in Citânia de Briteiros, is a monument from the Iron Age period, specific to certain settlements of the Hillfort or Castro Culture in the Portuguese regions of Minho and Douro, near the Atlantic Ocean. After decades of debate regarding their use and function, there is now a consensus that these structures were likely used as baths or saunas. However, there is still some divergence of opinion: while they have recently been considered within the context of a warrior's rite of rebirth (García Quintela, 2016, and García Quintela, Santos-Estévez, 2015), a new hypothesis has emerged suggesting that these monuments may have been associated with maternity and childbirth (Oliveira, Garrido de Oliveira, 2023). The use of these spaces was both functional and ritualistic, set against a mythological background. Their placement in the landscape is significant, often located in relation to prominent features of the territory and settlements, and the architectural composition of the known examples suggests an anthropomorphic analogy. This hypothesis sheds light on the social representation of women and emphasizes the vital role of motherhood, fertility, and life in sustaining the community. Through a typological analysis based on known examples, it is possible to propose a reconstitution of the missing elements, which would allow us to further argue this last hypothesis by enabling the simulation and exploration of procedures and rituals associated with it.