Culture director visits Mojácar la Vieja excavations.

Regional Director for Historical and Cultural Heritage, Eloísa Cabrera, recently paid a visit to Mojácar to see the work being carried out by the Granada University archaeologists at the Mojácar la Vieja excavations.

Accompanying her at the site were Mojácar’s Mayor, Rosmari Cano, local Tourism Councillor, Emmanuel Agüero, Excavations Director, Jose María Martin Civantos and the historian, Juan Grima.
Martín Civantos had the chance to explain to the group the new discoveries made so far in this second campaign and how these new excavations are showing the importance of the settlement in the area during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, until its abandonment when the population moved to the site of today’s Mojácar.
As the work progresses, the archaeologists’ theories from in the first campaign regarding what brought about the transfer of a substantial population with well-organized defences, are being confirmed. On one hand, there was the threat of the Christian Reconquest in the area, with an ineffective control due to their lack of complete vision of the maritime zone and any invasion. Secondly, discoveries in recent works have shown up some geological weaknesses that could have presented problems with the solidity of their constructions.
What is proven, however, is the importance of Mojacar la Vieja, due to its strong wall with 14 towers and a double fortification, the second of which was built in the highest part, corresponding to an area of military defence.
The Cultural Director was very impressed by the findings to date of this second excavation campaign, promoted by the Mojácar City Council, as well the potential this site presents as it is in a very good state of conservation. It could well be a key to understanding an important phase in the Region’s history, revealing and making sense of the area’s culture and customs as well as the shape and form of the land. She was also interested in future plans, with a view to a possible collaboration through her department and the Junta de Andalucía.
Memolab, a biocultural archaeology laboratory based at Granada University is accredited with some excellent work on the excavations, along with its research and dissemination of information, which has been boosted by the cooperation and interest of the people of Mojácar. Mojácar la Vieja is a project of the future that is already of significant cultural and touristic interest and whose name is gathering importance on international forums.