Dr. David Martínez Chico, investigater from the University of Valencia has described some of the main discoveries of the last excavation in 2025 of the site on the Cerro de la Virgin (the hill infront of the Sanctuary) promoted by Calasparra Town Hall within the framework of the European Days of Archeology.
During the lecture the Head of the local Department of Culture, Pablo Cassinello, announced the two phases of the III Archeological Campaign on the Cerro de la Virgin: the first with the participation of volunteers from Calasparra and the second with University students interested in the archeological excavation.
The work already carried out has already expanded data on the singular religious building, dated back to the fifth century, a rectangular shape with an eastern wall and lateral outbuildings used as sacristies. The building corresponds to the Eastern Mediterrean models found in Siria, North Africa and the Balearic Islands. There is evidence that the church continued to function during the Emiral period between the VIII and IX centuries.
Also significant are the discoveries of various Andalusian weights and a scales, elements indicating that the building had functions connected with collecting taxes. This also reinforces the hypothesis that certain rural religious centres were used for administrative management and social control during the first centuries of the Islamic presence on the Iberic peninsular.These discoveries manifest the strategic relevance of Calasparra within the dependant territory of the Espiscopal seat of Begastri*.
Finally, Dr. David Martínez Chico underlined the close relationship that existed between the site on the Cerro de la Virgin and the nearby Sanctuary of Our Lady of Hope for its characteristics as an early Christian Rupestre (Cave) that may have used by hermits in antique eras.
Editors Note
Begastri* is the same in English as it is the proper name of an important archeological site discovered on the cerro (hill) Cabezo Roenas, within the municipal area of Cehegin.
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