A TOWN in the far north-western region of Galicia holds the national record for the most Roman ruins per household with practically every inhabitant owning at least one.
And their collections are not technically illegal, since the parts of the collapsed settlement in their area have never been officially recognised.
Still, many of them who spoke of their hoard of treasures to the regional newspaper, La Voz de Galicia, did not want to give their names as they were afraid national or local heritage departments would take them away – or worse, fine them for plundering.
O Espiño, part of the larger town of Oímbra and close to Montalegre in the Verín district (Ourense province), hit the local news a few weeks ago after a Roman ring dedicated to the god Jupiter and dating back to the second century AD was catalogued, but residents already suspected they were sitting on a historian's paradise.
Homes in the village house at least two stone sculptures in honour of Roman gods and goddesses; dozens of stone mills dating back to the first and second centuries AD; chunks of a Celtic wall and several Bronze Age carvings on slabs of rock.
Millstones from the third century AD and later are the most common, and some residents have five or six decorating their driveways or garden walls.
About two months ago, an archaeologist turned up in the village and confirmed that the stones alongside the chapel in the village were the ruins of an old Roman settlement, and that the shards of ceramic scattered nearby were also of great historical value.
One of Jupiter's second-century rings resides in the chapel, and another in a resident's house.
Elsewhere in the chapel, the inscription XOM in honour of Jupiter appear frequently and a relief of a bull's head is carved into one wall.
The remains of the settlement were knocked down for development around 20 years ago, having been considered nothing important, and almost everyone in O Espiño collected up pieces to adorn their homes with.
It is only now that at least 22 archaeological digs have been found in the Oímbra, Monterrei, Laza and Cualedro areas and are waiting to be formally dated by historians that the true worth of these household ornaments is coming to light.
Once these digs have been verified, the heritage departments of O Espiño, Guimarei and San Martiño will examine the settlements based in these villages and document them to ensure they are protected.
