Pepe el Ferreiro facts for kids

José María Naveiras Escanlar, known as Pepe el Ferreiro, was an important Spanish archaeologist. He was born in Grandas de Salime, Asturias, in 1942. Pepe also worked as a blacksmith, just like his father. He was very interested in metalwork.

In 1977, Pepe and two friends made an exciting discovery. They found the first building of an ancient village called Chao Samartín. These old villages are known as Castros. Because Pepe was friends with the land owner, he got permission to dig there. He worked with José Manuel Villamea. Together, they found many old pottery pieces. Pepe then showed the site to archaeologist D. Miguel Ángel de Blas Cortina from the University of Oviedo. This led to more studies of the ancient village.

Pepe's Amazing Discoveries and Work

Pepe el Ferreiro did many important things for archaeology and culture.

Founding the Museum

• In 1983, Pepe founded the Ethnographic Museum of Grandas de Salime. An ethnographic museum shows how people lived in the past. He studied a lot about human cultures to make the museum great.

Excavations and Finds

• In 1984, he dug at the old ruins of Melgar de Tera. There, he found a beautiful glass cup. This cup was made around 10-20 B.C., which is almost 2,000 years ago!
• In 1986, Pepe took some samples from Chao Samartín for testing. Scientists used Carbon-14 dating to find out how old they were. This test showed the castro was from the first century A.D. This was the first solid proof of its age.
• When official digs started at Chao Samartín, Pepe helped the archaeologists a lot. He shared his knowledge and experience with the team.

Sharing Knowledge

• Pepe also wrote articles for newspapers and other media. He shared what he found at Chao Samartín. Even though these articles were not scientific papers, they helped many people learn about the important discoveries.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Pepe el Ferreiro received many awards for his hard work and dedication.

• In 1985, he was honored at the "First Congress of Ethnography and Ethnology." He even received a medal from the University of Oviedo.
• In 1991, he won the "Principality of Asturias of Tourism" prize. This award recognized his efforts to promote tourism in the region.
• He became an "Honorary Member" of the Association for the Defense of Cultural Heritage of Asturias in 1992.
• He received the "Chosco de Oro" in 1998.
• In 2002, a newspaper called La Nueva España named him "Asturian of the Month."
• He also won the "Tierra Verde" Tourism Prize in 2002.
• In 2002, he received the "Primer Galardón Pendiente de Oro."
• In 2004, he was given the "Urogallo de Bronce" award.
• Pepe was a corresponding member of the RIDEA.

Lectures and Exhibitions

• Pepe gave many talks about Ethnography in different places. He spoke in Spain, and even in Switzerland.
• He also helped set up exhibitions about ethnography. These shows were held in places like the Theater Campoamor in Oviedo, France, and even Cuba.
• He wrote for the newspaper La Nueva España and helped write guides for the Ethnographic Museum of Grandas de Salime.

See also

In Spanish: Pepe el Ferreiro para niños