2015 - March : Day visit to Valencina de la Concepcion and Italica.
On Saturday 21st March a group of members traveled by coach to Spain.
The first stop was at the museum in Valencina dedicated to the megalithic site where Rui Parreria guided us round and explained the importance of the settlement and the dolmens associated with what is the largest in Iberia, (which like the smaller site at Alcalar here in the Algarve) dates from the 3rd Mill BCE, but covering an area of more than 400 hectares. The original settlement is now beneath the town with the necropolis being situated to the SW of the town. The first of the megalithic tombs (La Pastora) was discovered in 1890 and subsequently a second tomb was found in 1917. Work has continued around the necropolis where smaller tombs have been discovered. The two dolmens were of high status and this is reflected in the quality of the finds on display in the museum – in particular a beautiful jade stone polished ‘axe’, possibly from France, which would have been a traded and prized object. The inhabitants of the settlement worked in agriculture and also in copper mining and smelting. Small bone and ivory idols were on display (the ivory having come from Syria and North Africa), amber artifacts from the Baltic were also elite exchange items. Scale models of the settlement and La Pastora showed the layout of the original complex.
The group then moved on to visit the restored tomb at La Pastora and in small groups we entered the long passageway that led to the small enclosed burial chamber that had held the remains of the elite.
The first stop was at the museum in Valencina dedicated to the megalithic site where Rui Parreria guided us round and explained the importance of the settlement and the dolmens associated with what is the largest in Iberia, (which like the smaller site at Alcalar here in the Algarve) dates from the 3rd Mill BCE, but covering an area of more than 400 hectares. The original settlement is now beneath the town with the necropolis being situated to the SW of the town. The first of the megalithic tombs (La Pastora) was discovered in 1890 and subsequently a second tomb was found in 1917. Work has continued around the necropolis where smaller tombs have been discovered. The two dolmens were of high status and this is reflected in the quality of the finds on display in the museum – in particular a beautiful jade stone polished ‘axe’, possibly from France, which would have been a traded and prized object. The inhabitants of the settlement worked in agriculture and also in copper mining and smelting. Small bone and ivory idols were on display (the ivory having come from Syria and North Africa), amber artifacts from the Baltic were also elite exchange items. Scale models of the settlement and La Pastora showed the layout of the original complex.
The group then moved on to visit the restored tomb at La Pastora and in small groups we entered the long passageway that led to the small enclosed burial chamber that had held the remains of the elite.
After Paella lunch near to the Roman site at Italica the group visited the amphitheatre and villa complex having been established built by the families of Trajan who was born there in 53, and his successor Hadrian. The amphitheatre is very impressive having seated over 25.000 people, the arena contains the lifts used to raise the animals and ‘fighters’, a long gallery runs around and beneath the stone seating.
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Italica represents the majesty of a Roman metropolis, clearly visible in the layout of its streets and its public and private buildings. Some of the original features still remain – mosaics, water supply system and drainage network, lead pipes, paving stones and the remains of decorative items such as porticoes. Unfortunately time at Italica was limited but the group was able to get a taste of the importance of this impressive site and hopefully it has inspired some to return for a longer visit, especially as there are other Roman buildings nearby in the town of Santiponce. |
