The campaign of MARQ excavations in the Pobla de Ifach from Calp continues to yield important discoveries of great archaeological value. The latest work has brought to light both well preserved graffiti depicting two large ships and an alquerque, a board game popular in the 14th and 15th centuries, the predecessor of draughts.
The team leader and MARQ archaeologist, José Luis Menéndez, explained that one of the graffiti was discovered in the plaster of a wall and depicts two vessels, which could be galleys, with keel oars. The ideal conditions The layout of the oars and in one of the naves even the sterncastle formed by a tower can be seen, so everything points to the fact that it is a war scene. Their condition has also facilitated the tracing and documentation of the graffiti for subsequent preventive conservation.
On the other hand, in the landslide that concealed the pavement of the entrance corridor to the city, there was a stone slab with a graphite which represents a alquerquea popular board game which has been known since ancient times and was brought to Europe by the Arabs. Its use and development, which was very popular during the 14th and 15th centuriesThis was the origin of what we know today as "Las Damas" (Checkers). The piece discovered in Ifach corresponds to an alquerque of three, the simplest version of the game, which in the 15th century became up to twelve.
These pieces are in addition to the important collection discovered this summer on the site, crowned by an exceptional decorated gothic capital dating from the time of the reign of James II. The new discoveries will be added to the long list of carved stone pieces such as ribs, arcades, columns, cornices and lintels that make Pobla de Ifach an important exceptional site whose enhancement may in the future offer a first-rate resource in the cultural heritage for the tourism development and promotion in the town of Calp.
