8 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Archaeological excavations unearthed the first great Iberian city in Contestania and the oldest one

Archaeologists from the University of Alicante and the University of Murcia “Damas y Héroes. In the project “Tras la Ilici ibérica (Ladies and Heroes. After the Iberian Ilici)” he uncovered architectural ruins in Iberia’s principal city of Ilici (modern Elche in southeastern Spain), which provide invaluable information about Iberian society and its historical context.

Despite the absence of architectural remnants to corroborate the degree of Iberian society’s complexity and development, researchers were already aware of the site’s significance due to earlier discoveries, such as the well-known sculpture of the Lady of Elche. Thanks to excavations that began in 2017, remains have been found that allow a better understanding of the foundational site, which dates back to around 500 BCE.

“This area was known due to the magnitude of some of the finds found, among which the sculpture of the Lady of Elche stands out without a doubt. However, we needed to find the architectural remains that would explain the importance of the Iberian groups settled there and that would allow us to know what the society of the time was like,” explains the professor of Prehistory at the University of Alicante, Alberto Lorrio, director of the project. research together with the professor of Ancient History of the University of Murcia, Héctor Uroz.

The Lady of Elche. Photo: Francisco J. Díez Martín
The Lady of Elche. Photo: Francisco J. Díez Martín

As a result of the research, in addition to the city walls,  eight rooms have been identified that belong to houses attached to the foundational wall, demonstrating that Ilici was one of the most important cities in the Iberian region of Contestania, which encompassed parts of the present-day provinces of Alicante, Murcia, Albacete, and Valencia. This new information confirms that La Alcudia was home to the first metropolis, the first major Iberian city in Contestania.

The enclave discovered in l’Alcúdia is “the first metropolis, the first large Iberian city of the Contestania, and the oldest. There is no older one of this magnitude,” says Professor Uroz.

The finding helps to clarify everyday life in the city and offers context for the Iberian elites who commissioned sculptures such as the Lady of Elche. Lorrio emphasizes that these discoveries add significantly to our understanding of the site’s history and archaeology, making them even more important than the discovery of another sculpture.

Family photo of some of the participants in the 2024 campaign of the project “Ladies and Heroes. After the Iberian Ilici” at the L’Alcúdia site. Photo: Universidad de Alicante
Family photo of some of the participants in the 2024 campaign of the project “Ladies and Heroes. After the Iberian Ilici” at the L’Alcúdia site. Photo: Universidad de Alicante

Because of the frequent flooding, the ancient inhabitants decided to leave the area, which is why the remains are in such excellent preservation. They filled the houses’ interiors before departing, which helped to preserve the buildings and let archaeologists find out unusual building techniques like the use of molded mud or adobe walls.

The excavation phase has been completed and now, with the site covered for its protection, the researchers have begun the phase of laboratory analysis of the pieces found. In the next campaign, the excavation of the dwellings will be extended into the interior of the settlement in order to obtain a complete view of the oldest Iberian phases of the excavated sector.

Alicante Üniversitesi

Damas y Héroes. Tras la Ilici ibérica Project

Cover photo: View of the excavation carried out in l’Alcúdia in the 2024 University of Alicante campaign. University of Alicante

Related Articles

Alexander the Great’s Bathroom Discovered at Greece’s Aigai Palace

11 May 2024

11 May 2024

Archaeologists say to have unearthed Alexander the Great’s bathroom at the Aigai Palace in northern Greece. The vast Aigai palace,...

South Ockendon’s Belhus Park Golf Course: A Tudor Garden Discovered

15 July 2021

15 July 2021

Under a golf course, the ruins of Tudor and Jacobean gardens were unearthed. Aerial images of Belhus Park Golf Course...

Scientists have discovered an ancient cemetery of flying reptiles roaming the Atacama desert of Chile 100 million years ago

7 April 2022

7 April 2022

In Chile, an unusual cemetery has been discovered that contains the well-preserved remains of prehistoric flying reptiles that flew over...

Archaeologists discover a 4,000-year-old ancient city in the Iraqi Dhi Qar region

20 July 2021

20 July 2021

An astonishing find was made by archaeologists in Iraq‘s Dhi Qar province, where an ancient settlement estimated to be 4,000...

The Enigmatic Architecture of Sacsayhuaman: The Sacred Stronghold of Massive Stones and Mysteries

14 March 2025

14 March 2025

Sacsayhuaman Fortress, located just outside Cusco, Peru, is one of the most astonishing archaeological complexes in the world. Initiated by...

A farmer picking up ‘trash’ in field in Norway discovered a rare Viking Sword

1 June 2024

1 June 2024

A farmer and his son found a rare Viking sword on his family farm in Suldal, Norway. Archaeologists say this...

A first in 35 years! Child grave with bracelets and gifts found in ancient city of Kelenderis

25 June 2022

25 June 2022

During this year’s excavations in the ancient city of Kelenderis, founded on the Mediterranean coast in the southern province of...

Great Wall Castle Remains Found in China’s Shaanxi

8 June 2021

8 June 2021

The remains of a Great Wall castle dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) were discovered in northwest China’s Shaanxi...

Scotland’s oldest tartan discovered in Highlands bog

1 April 2023

1 April 2023

According to new research, a piece of fabric discovered in a bog in the Scottish Highlands may be the oldest...

Archaeologists say 12,000-year-old flutes discovered in northern Israel may have been used to lure falcons

9 June 2023

9 June 2023

New research reveals that about 12,000 years ago, in northern Israel, humans turned the bones of small birds into instruments...

The place where John the Baptist was martyred

4 February 2022

4 February 2022

The infamous birthday banquet of Herod Antipas, which culminated in the beheading of St John the Baptist — a preacher...

Archaeologists conducting excavations at the Roman Fort of Apsaros in Georgia, found evidence of the Legion X Fretensis

27 May 2023

27 May 2023

Polish scientists discovered that Legion X Fretensis, known for its brutal suppression of Jewish uprisings, was stationed in the early...

Spectacular Marble Portrait and Untouched Grave Found at Bulgaria’s Heraclea Sintica

5 July 2025

5 July 2025

Ongoing rescue excavations at the ancient Roman site of Heraclea Sintica in southwestern Bulgaria continue to deliver extraordinary finds, with...

Viennese Archaeologists Find LEGIO XIII GEMINA Bricks

1 February 2024

1 February 2024

The fourth oldest school in Vienna, the Kindermanngasse Elementary School, is being completely renovated. As part of the renovation of...

The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: The Dark Age of Ancient Scrolls Ends

2 May 2025

2 May 2025

Artificial intelligence, often envisioned for future applications, is now playing a pivotal role in unraveling the mysteries of the past....