Archaeology

Unprecedented Phoenician necropolis found in southern Spain

“Unprecedented” Phoenician necropolis found in southern Spain

“Unprecedented” Phoenician necropolis found in southern Spain

A 4th or 5th-century B.C Phoenician necropolis has been found at Osuna in Southern Spain. A well-preserved underground limestone vault necropolis, where the Phoenicians living in the Iberian peninsula buried their dead, was discovered during water utility upgrades.

Council workers have found a well-preserved necropolis from the Phoenician era with at least eight subterranean limestone burial vaults and a staircase.

Archaeologists said the “unprecedented” Phoenician-Carthaginian cemetery. Such sites are normally found in coastal areas rather than so far inland, they say.

It is a unique find because the only comparable necropolises that have been unearthed so far are coastal, dotting the area around the ancient Phoenician colony of Cádiz. Osuna is inland, about 55 miles east of Seville.

Preliminary surveys have so far turned up eight burial vaults as well as staircases and areas that are thought to have served as atriums. These were elite graves, and unprecedented in what would have been practically the hinterlands of Phoenician Spain.

The phoenician-Punic necropolis was discovered in Osuna, Spain.

The lead archaeologist, Mario Delgado, described the discovery as very significant and very unexpected. “To find a necropolis from the Phoenician and Carthaginian era with these characteristics – with eight well tombs, atriums, and staircase access – you’d have to look to Sardinia or even Carthage itself,” he said.

“We thought we might find remains from the imperial Roman age, which would be more in keeping with the surroundings, so we were surprised when we found these structures carved from the rock – hypogea [subterranean vaults] – perfectly preserved beneath the Roman levels.”

Rosario Andújar, the mayor of Osuna, said the find had already prompted a re-examination of the area’s history.

The mayor said that while more research needed to be done, the luxurious nature of the necropolis suggested it had been built for those at “the highest level” of the social hierarchy.

Excavation work is currently underway in order to reach the ground levels of a possible atrium, officials said.

The Phoenicians were amongst the greatest Mediterranean traders from approximately 1,500 to 600 BC. Based on archaeological remains, the consensus now is that colonisation began around 800, when settlements were founded along the south coast of the peninsula.

They settled in southern Spain, not long after the founding of Phoenicia’s greatest colony, Carthage.

They set to work exploiting the region’s rich and untapped deposits of tin, gold, and silver and expanding their trade networks.

The trade of metals and consumer goods (fish, textiles) made the Phoenician settlements of what is now Andalusia enormously prosperous.

Archaeologists believe that the rich tombs found on the coast were built for the shipping dynasties that ran Phoenician commerce.

The Spanish town of Osuna came to the spotlight when it became the location for parts of the fifth season of the HBO series, Game of Thrones.

Related Posts

A Remarkable Discovery from a Gaza Shipwreck: Olive Pits from 1100 Years Ago

A Remarkable Discovery from a Gaza Shipwreck: Olive Pits from 1100 Years Ago

A Remarkable Discovery from a Gaza Shipwreck: Olive Pits from 1100 Years Ago The recent underwater excavations off the coast of Türkiye have unveiled an extraordinary find that has captivated scientists: olive pits from a shipwreck that sank 1100 years ago. This vessel, which set sail from the Gaza coast of Palestine, was caught in a storm … Continue reading A Remarkable Discovery from a Gaza Shipwreck: Olive Pits from 1100 Years Ago

Archaeologists Uncover Asini’s Hidden Ancient Port Beneath the Waves of Greece

Archaeologists Uncover Asini’s Hidden Ancient Port Beneath the Waves of Greece

Archaeologists Uncover Asini’s Hidden Ancient Port Beneath the Waves of Greece An international team of underwater archaeologists has made a groundbreaking discovery at the submerged site of Asini, near  Tolo in Argolis, Greece, unearthing significant remnants of an ancient port infrastructure that promises to reshape our understanding of Mediterranean maritime history. This research is part of … Continue reading Archaeologists Uncover Asini’s Hidden Ancient Port Beneath the Waves of Greece

Burial of Ascetic Monk in Chains Reveals Surprising Identity: A Woman in Byzantine Jerusalem

Burial of Ascetic Monk in Chains Reveals Surprising Identity: A Woman in Byzantine Jerusalem

Burial of Ascetic Monk in Chains Reveals Surprising Identity: A Woman in Byzantine Jerusalem A recent archaeological discovery near Jerusalem has challenged long-held beliefs about ascetic practices in the Byzantine era, revealing the remains of a woman in a burial typically associated with male ascetics, thus prompting a reevaluation of women’s roles in extreme religious … Continue reading Burial of Ascetic Monk in Chains Reveals Surprising Identity: A Woman in Byzantine Jerusalem

Woodhenge Found in Denmark: A Link Between Denmark and Britain’s Neolithic Past

Woodhenge Found in Denmark: A Link Between Denmark and Britain’s Neolithic Past

Woodhenge Found in Denmark: A Link Between Denmark and Britain’s Neolithic Past In a stunning revelation, archaeologists have unearthed a remarkable structure dubbed “woodhenge” in Denmark, a discovery that not only illuminates the ancient practices of Neolithic societies but also invites us to reconsider the interconnectedness of prehistoric cultures across Europe. In a remarkable archaeological … Continue reading Woodhenge Found in Denmark: A Link Between Denmark and Britain’s Neolithic Past

9,000-Year-Old Rock Art Suggests Early Humans Interacted with Dinosaur Footprints

9,000-Year-Old Rock Art Suggests Early Humans Interacted with Dinosaur Footprints

9,000-Year-Old Rock Art Suggests Early Humans Interacted with Dinosaur Footprints In Brazil, researchers have made an extraordinary discovery of ancient rock art dating back over 9,000 years, found alongside dinosaur footprints from the Cretaceous Period, approximately 66 million years ago. This significant find took place in Serrote do Letreiro, located in the Sousa Basin. Led … Continue reading 9,000-Year-Old Rock Art Suggests Early Humans Interacted with Dinosaur Footprints

The Colchester Vase: New Analyses Uncover Evidence of Gladiatorial Combat in Roman Britannia

The Colchester Vase: New Analyses Uncover Evidence of Gladiatorial Combat in Roman Britannia

The Colchester Vase: New Analyses Uncover Evidence of Gladiatorial Combat in Roman Britannia The Colchester Vase, dating back to A.D. 160–200, is not just a ceramic artifact; it is considered a unique graphic and epigraphic testimony to the existence of gladiatorial combats in the Roman city of  Camulodunum, now known as Colchester, illuminating the cultural and … Continue reading The Colchester Vase: New Analyses Uncover Evidence of Gladiatorial Combat in Roman Britannia

Leave a Reply

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