11 February 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A Roman Sanctuary with Inscriptions Discovered in Cova de les Dones, One of the Largest Rock Art Sites in the Iberian Peninsula

A team of researchers from the universities of Alicante (UA) and Zaragoza (Unizar) have discovered a Roman temple at Cova de les Dones, one of the largest rock art sites on the Iberian Peninsula. They also found fifteen Roman inscriptions and a coin from the reign of Emperor Claudius.

Researchers have discovered a remarkable Roman sanctuary in the Cova de les Dones, located in Millares, Valencia, Spain. This find, crucial for understanding the Roman presence in the Iberian Peninsula, is situated in a deep chamber of the cave, over 200 meters from the entrance.

The team has documented around fifteen Roman inscriptions and a coin dating back to the reign of Emperor Claudius. This coin, discovered in a crack in the ceiling next to a stalactite, indicates that the site may have been used for ritual purposes during the 1st century AD.

This discovery builds on a previous finding in 2023 when a study published in Antiquity revealed more than a hundred rock art motifs within the cave. Experts assert that the variety of techniques and the number of representations make Cova de les Dones the most significant Paleolithic site along the eastern Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula.

The recent discoveries emphasize the exceptional nature of the site, revealing its archaeological significance through evidence of continuous use from prehistory to the Roman period. From its origins as a Paleolithic rock sanctuary to its reuse during Iberian times and its recent recognition in Roman culture, the cave has maintained its sacred character for millennia. The first documented explorations of the site date back to the 18th century.

Researcher Xabier Garín Artázcoz points out the exact location of the cavity where the Roman coin from the time of Emperor Claudius was found. Credit: A. Ruiz-Redondo, V. Barciela & X. Martorell
Researcher Xabier Garín Artázcoz points out the exact location of the cavity where the Roman coin from the time of Emperor Claudius was found. Credit: A. Ruiz-Redondo, V. Barciela & X. Martorell

Previously classified as an Iberian sanctuary since the 1960s due to the presence of Iron Age ceramics, archaeological evidence confirming its Roman usage had been limited until now. The discovery of inscriptions in such a deep area of the cave provides compelling evidence that the sanctuary was either continuously used or repurposed by the Romans, enhancing our understanding of the persistence of cult practices in this sacred space.

The location of these inscriptions ranks Cova de les Dones among the deepest sites with Roman inscriptions documented in the Iberian Peninsula, surpassed only by Cueva del Puente in Junta de Villalba de Losa and possibly Cueva de Román de Clunia, both located in Burgos province.

Despite the progress made, research at Cova de les Dones is still in its early stages. Currently, only 20% of the area featuring Paleolithic decorations has been thoroughly analyzed, and the Roman inscriptions are still under investigation. Moreover, certain areas of the cave have yet to be explored, indicating that additional discoveries may be in store for archaeologists in the years to come.

Roman coin from the time of Emperor Claudius. Credit: Museo de Prehistoria de Valencia
Roman coin from the time of Emperor Claudius. Credit: Museo de Prehistoria de Valencia

The discovery of the Roman sanctuary in Cova de les Dones marks a significant milestone in archaeological research within the Valencian Community. It not only confirms the continuity of the site’s ritual use across different historical periods but also opens new avenues for studying the interaction between Iberian and Roman cultures in the region. As research continues, further revelations are anticipated to deepen our understanding of the symbolic and religious significance of this underground sanctuary, solidifying Cova de les Dones as an invaluable archaeological site with a rich history yet to be fully uncovered.

The archaeological study at Cova de les Dones is part of the DONARQ project, which aims to analyze this rock sanctuary within its historical context. The research is led by Virginia Barciela González, a professor of Prehistory at the University of Alicante; Aitor Ruiz-Redondo, a professor of Prehistory at the University of Zaragoza; and Ximo Martorell Briz, an archaeologist from the Territorial Department of Culture of Valencia.

Epigraphic analysis is being conducted in collaboration with Víctor Sabaté Vidal, an epigraphy specialist at the University of Valencia, and Javier Velaza Frías, a professor of Latin Philology at the University of Barcelona and director of the LITTERA research team. The recovery and extraction of the Roman coin were carried out by Trinidad Pasíes Oviedo, head of the restoration department at the Museum of Prehistory of Valencia, and Carles Ferrer, curator of the same institution.

University of Alicante

Cover Image Credit: A. Ruiz-Redondo, V. Barciela & X. Martorell

Related Articles

Three-room Urartian tomb with liquid offering area (libation) found in eastern Turkey

18 January 2023

18 January 2023

A three-room Urartian tomb with a rock-cut libation (liquid offering area) to offer gifts to the gods was unearthed in...

Egypt discovers five 4,000-year-old ancient tombs in Saqqara necropolis

19 March 2022

19 March 2022

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced recently the discovery of five 4,000-year-old ancient tombs in the Saqqara archaeological...

How Knossos Palace Looked in Its Glorious Days

9 May 2021

9 May 2021

Knossos Palace is a famous architectural structure of ancient Knossos, which was the capital of the Minoan Civilization. Archaeologist Arthur...

Ancient Footprints Offer Evidence Humans Wore Shoes 148,000 Years Ago

12 September 2023

12 September 2023

A new analysis of ancient footprints in South Africa suggests that the humans who made these tracks might have been...

16th-Century Compass Possibly Belonging to Nicolaus Copernicus Unearthed in Poland’s Frombork

8 August 2024

8 August 2024

Researchers have discovered a 16th-century compass that is thought to have been used by astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus in the canonical...

An 1800-year-old geometric patterned mosaic was discovered in Turkey’s ancient city of Bergama

17 June 2022

17 June 2022

During excavations surrounding the Red Basilica at Pergamon, an ancient city in western Turkey that is a UNESCO World Heritage...

Drought accelerated Hittite Empire’s collapse

9 February 2023

9 February 2023

Researchers have offered new insight into the abrupt collapse of the  Hittite Empire in the Late Bronze Age, with an...

Unexpected Origins of Mysterious Mummies Buried in Boats in a Chinese Desert

17 February 2024

17 February 2024

In 1990, hundreds of mummified bodies were found buried in boats in an inhospitable desert area in the Xinjiang Uyghur...

Ceremonial meals may have been served in the 4500-year-old structure unearthed in the Yumuktepe Höyük in Southern Turkey

3 November 2021

3 November 2021

A 4,500-year-old structure containing a jar, many pots, and food fossils has been unearthed at the Yumuktepe Höyük (mound) in...

Sorcery in Australian Cloggs Cave may be World’s Oldest Known Culturally Transmitted Ritual

1 July 2024

1 July 2024

Two sticks found in a cave in Australia show signs of processing that perfectly match Aboriginal sorcery and curse-making practices...

Archeologists discover 2000-year-old Roman coins on the deserted Swedish island of Gotska Sandön

14 April 2023

14 April 2023

Archaeologists found 2,000-year-old Roman coins on the Swedish deserted island of Gotska Sandön. Previously, ancient Roman coins were discovered on...

The Catacombs of Commodilla in Rome will open to the public for the first time

21 September 2022

21 September 2022

The fourth-century Catacombs of Commodilla in Rome’s Garbatella district will reopen to the public soon after the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission...

Unique and very well-preserved prehistoric engravings found in southwestern Catalonia

23 March 2023

23 March 2023

Significant prehistoric rock art has been discovered in La Febro, in southwestern Catalonia. The team that discovered the art inside...

DNA from human remains found in medieval well shines new light into a significant historical crime and into Ashkenazi Jewish history

30 November 2022

30 November 2022

An analysis of DNA from 12th-century human remains has provided new insights into a significant historical crime and into Ashkenazi...

Bronze age settlement found under in Swiss lake

23 April 2021

23 April 2021

For the first time, archaeologists discovered traces of a Bronze Age lakeside village beneath the surface of Lake Lucerne. The...

Comments
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *