Archaeological work is going on in all corners of Spain: the Arab walls in Madrid, for example, where open-air concerts are now held, or the restored Moorish Alcazaba in Malaga, not to mention the wealth of castles to be found in the country. And many public authorities have realised there is benefit to be gained (and in many cases EU money to be pocketed) from such investigation. There are still however many areas where you will see history lying in shallow decay as if forgotten. Much is made of the Atapuerca archaeological site in northern Spain which houses some of the oldest human remains known and although this does not strictly have any bearing on the Politics of Spain today it is interesting to note that Spain has almost always been one of the first European countries to adopt new civilisation.

One of the most tenuous arguments given by the Basques for wanting separation from the rest of Spain was for them to suggests they descended from prehistoric Cro-Magnon man, whose cave-paintings have been preserved at Altamira.
Eastern and Central Europeans, who moved to Spain in search of a milder climate, were the predecessors of the Iberians. The Celts voyaged as far as Galicia which still has remnants of that language.
Due to Spain's mineral and agricultural wealth, and to its strategic position protecting the Straits of Gibraltar - and thus entry by merchants into the rich Mediterranean Spain has been fought over for a long time. Spain now contains many races who have colonised over many centuries. From the Romans to the Gitanes - the Gypsy's who until the time of Franco had a free reign over the territory.