The Archaeological Museum of Alicante pays tribute to the figure of the archaeologist Nieves Rosellówho passed away in 2010, with the publication of her posthumous book "The Necropolis of Vistalegre (Aspe, Alicante). 1985-1986". The deputy for Culture Juan Bautista Roselló presented this morning at the MARQ the work, which also includes an anthropological and palaeopathological analysis of José Manuel Reverte and a critical review by Sonia Gutiérrez.
The event was also attended by MARQ's technical director Manuel Olcinathe mayor of Aspe Manuel DíezProfessor at the University of Alicante and contributor to the publication Sonia Gutiérrez, the curator Rafael Azuar and the author's husband Luis Rico.
"La Necrópolis de Vistalegre", which is divided in three sections, gathers the results of the excavations carried out by Nieves Roselló at this site at Aspe, the description of the graves exhumed and the documented archaeological materialsas well as the historical assessment of the site. The work is part of the series of publications promoted by the Alicante centre ".Archaeological works"The aim of this collection is to research and disseminate the province's heritage.
In this sense, the deputy for Culture has highlighted the importance of this book that reflects the brilliant research work that the archaeologist Nieves Roselló carried out at the Vistalegre site throughout her professional career, a career that has always been linked to the MARQ, with whom she was linked for many years as a scholarship holder and collaborator..
Among the years 1985 and 1986 Nieves Roselló worked in the excavations at one of Alicante's most emblematic sitesThe Visigothic Necropolis of Vistalegre, in Aspe (7th century). Currently, many of the materials found in those works are deposited and partially exhibited in the MARQ, especially the glass objects and bronze belt buckles.
The first section of the book, entitled "The Vistalegre Necropolis. Excavation and study of the archaeological material"and signed by Nieves Roselló herself, includes the report that the researcher wrote about the excavations carried out at the site in Alicante. It deals with the geographical location of the site, the news prior to the archaeological excavation, the excavation itself, the study of the necropolis -including tombs and materials-, as well as some initial conclusions and a catalogue and study of the materials and grave goods found.
The second part "Anthropological and Palaeopathological Study of the Vistalegre Necropolis"by José Manuel Reverte, presents the anthropological conclusions of the excavations and an inventory with a description of the bone material found.
Finally, the last chapter "The necropolis of Vistalegre (Aspe, Alicante) in the light of the archaeology of the 21st century."The study, signed by Sonia Gutiérrez, updates a study carried out 25 years ago.
Manuel Olcina stated that The publication sheds a great deal of light on the historical knowledge of this necropolis located between the political dissolution of the Roman world and the arrival of Islam. The typewritten text and ink images were scanned, new photographs of the site were sought and retaken, the design and layout were done... to disseminate the brilliant work that Nieves Roselló carried out with patience and rigour..
The Excavations at this site began in the early 1990s. due to the repeated discovery of graves -including a possible sarcophagus and slab tombs. and of archaeological materials from the trousseaus of the same. The discovery of a Visigothic buckle while preparing some plots of land for planting vineyards was decisive and led to the request for an emergency archaeological excavation, directed by Nieves Roselló, a native of Aspe, which was completed between 1985 and 1986.
