The excavations in the 'Castellum' reveal 4 new rooms and 10 meters more of road

The sixth excavation campaign that is being carried out in El Tossal de la Cala "continues to uncover the architectural plan of a single site in Spain", as highlighted by Jesús Moratalla, archaeologist and professor at the University of Alicante , who directs the works with the UA Archeology professor, Feliciana Sala.

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, along with the councilor of Historical Heritage, Ana Pellicer, other members of the Corporation, and Jerónimo Llinares, director of Bali Hotel (collaborating entity in the project) has visited this morning the work that is being done since the beginning of the month and in which four more rooms and an additional ten meters of the street have been exhumed, integrated in the fortress or citadel of the Roman 'Castellum' of El Tossal in La Cala de Benidorm, and whose construction is between the years 80 and 70 BC

The works will end in the next two days and have focused on the western part of the enclave, which has been able to be consolidated. In addition, during the excavation has been uncovered the collection of materials that made to level the main road following a slope of 8% to maintain accessibility to the 'Castellum'.

Toni Pérez highlighted the excellent and rigorous work being carried out by the professors and students of Archeology of the UA, in coordination with the Department of Historical Heritage, "and that with the passage of time has been revealed as a unique reference of military constructions Romans in Hispania ". The mayor stressed that the excavations already have direct municipal actions and resources since last year -100.00 euros in the previous year, which are allowing much faster progress in the work, for the full musealization of the 'Castellum '; an ambitious project whose drafting is being finalized and that, after the efforts made by the Department, has 500,000 euros for its execution from the funds Feder (European Fund for Regional Development).

The excavations that have been carried out systematically since 2013 have confirmed that the enclave is a Roman 'castellum' from the 1st century BC, instead of an Iberian settlement as originally thought, exhuming the fortress wall, as well as its rooms and main road.

To the discoveries made on the ground in previous campaigns-Roman pottery, coins, a plumb line used in the construction of the walls, or a key, among other objects-on this occasion singular pieces of lead have been attached, appearing in Father Belda called "the House of Leads", when he found hooks and weights of nets. These utensils could have both a warlike use and repair of ceramic containers.

Both Feliciana Sala and Jesús Moratalla have emphasized the importance of the rehabilitation process that is taking place in El Tossal of La Cala de Benidorm because it is not only "a field of work and learning", but it is offering spectacular scientific results " "History is being made with each excavation" pointed Professor Moratalla, who has transferred very valuable architectural information from late Roman military constructions.