Once again this year, the Provincial Archaeological Museum of Alicante will launch the archaeological excavation programme with the aim of documenting and extensive scientific research of the findings that are recovered in the Alicante area, as well as to advance in the knowledge of the ancient civilisations that populated different enclaves in the province.
This comprehensive and rigorous initiative is a point of reference in the Valencian Community both for the historical periods it covers -from the Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages-and the territorial scope in which it is carried out. The deputy for Culture, César Augusto AsencioThis morning, he presented the 2016 campaign and stressed that ".This Plan, which includes actions with a long history, stems from the Provincial Government's commitment and the Museum's own activity to conserve, enhance and disseminate the historical and cultural heritage of the Costa Blanca.".
The choice of the nine sites was determined by the lines of research planned by the technical equipment of the MARQ. It should also be borne in mind that two of the sites are managed directly by the Diputación de Alicante -the Tossal de Manises and Illeta dels Banyets- and recovery work has been carried out on them over the last 25 years. In this sense, the technical director of the Museum, Manuel Olcinasaid that "we consider it a duty of the MARQ to continue with the investigation of these vestiges of prehistory, Iberian, Roman and medieval-modern culture, which are fundamental for the knowledge of these periods in the province of Alicante.".
The team of archaeologists from the MARQ will intervene at the sites of Cabeçó d'Or in Relleu, Cabezo de Pardo in the Vega Baja, the Slopes of the Castle of Callosa de Segurathe Randero Cave of Pedreguer, the Penyal d'Ifac in Calp, the Illeta dels Banyets in El Campello, the Juncaret ravine in Mutxamel, as well as the Albufereta Bay and the Tossal de Manisesboth in Alicante. The provincial institution will allocate a total of 105,800 euros to carry out these actions in which a hundred volunteers from different universities will collaborate.
Cave art in Abric I of Cabeçó d'Or
The Abric I of the Cabeçó d'Or in Relleu contains an interesting series of motifs linked to the Schematic Art. Its documentation was carried out in 2005 as part of the ordinary excavation plan, and a series of works are necessary in order to to complement its study and documentation.
Cabezo Pardo/Cabezo de los Ojales
Under the title, "The historical process in the 2nd millennium BC in the Vega Baja del Segura and Bajo Vinalopó", this campaign was carried out in the municipalities of San Isidro, Granja de Rocamora and Albatera. Its cultural affiliation corresponds to the Bronze Age and the Emirate Period, and the archaeological fieldwork will continue in the three areas already excavated in previous campaigns.
Slopes of the Castle of Callosa de Segura
This year, among other actions, the work begun in 2014 on the slopes of the Castle of Casllosa de Segura will continue with the aim of completing the documentation of the stratigraphic sequence and the topography of the area, as well as continuing with the intensive survey of the immediate surroundings of the site, in order to determine the original dimensions of the settlement.
Randero Cave
The action in the Cova del Randero, located in PedreguerThe main objective is the continuity of the work in the inner hallwhich is now exceptional following the discovery of a vessel entire in situ dating from the end of the 5th millennium b.n.e..
Ifach Project
At Calp work will resume on consolidating the structure of the excavations of the pobla nova of conquest at the foot of the Penyal d'Ifac. This is the twelfth campaign carried out in the Natural Park and is focused mainly on the so-called Door -West Wall and Church Necropolis and North WallThe aim is to continue working on the worst preserved parts of the walled enclosure and buildings discovered in the course of the archaeological work.
Underwater archaeological map of the Bay of Alicante
This new phase will undertake the third phase of visual survey and soundings to continue with the project to update the Archaeological Charter of the Underwater Cultural Heritage of the Province of Alicante.
Tossal de Manises. Sea Gate
In the Tossal de Manises, this is the second year in which action will be taken between the enclave wall and the extension of the Roman Forum Street with the objective of locating the span of the Puerta del MarThe new port, which will connect with the suburban neighbourhoods and the harbour located in the lower part of the city, is located in the Albufereta.
Illeta dels Banyets
The aim of this intervention on the Illeta dels Banyets in El Campello is to complete the excavation initiated in 2015 on the section of a second street in the south-west area, as well as completing the excavation of the building that serves as its façade towards this orientation.
Juncaret ravine
Mutxamel hosts the second consecutive campaign of archaeological excavation carried out at the raft from Roman times located in El Barranco del Juncaret to finish the performance in this enclave.
