Cova de les Dones: Roman Sanctuary Discovery Sheds Light on Iberian Peninsula Interaction

he Cova de les Dones cave in Valencia, Spain, archaeologists have found a Roman sanctuary dating back to around the 1st century CE.

Archaeologists have uncovered a Roman sanctuary within the Cova de les Dones cave in Valencia, Spain, dating back to around the 1st century CE. The discovery provides evidence of the site's continuous ritualistic use throughout different historical periods.

A team of researchers from the University of Alicante and the University of Zaragoza made the finding during their exploration of the cave, which is renowned for its prehistoric remains and Paleolithic rock art.

During their exploration, the researchers found fifteen Roman inscriptions located more than 200 meters from the cave entrance. Together with the inscriptions, a coin from the reign of Emperor Claudius was found concealed in a crack in the ceiling next to a stalactite.

The team was led by Dr. Aitor Ruiz-Redondo, a professor of Prehistory at the University of Zaragoza and researcher at the University Institute of Research in Environmental Sciences of Aragon (IUCA).

"The inscriptions and the coin provide irrefutable evidence that the sanctuary continued to be used or was repurposed by the Romans," said Dr. Ruiz-Redondo. "This discovery confirms the continuity of the site's ritual use throughout different historical periods."

Cova de les Dones has been recognized as a sanctuary since 1960 due to the discovery of abundant Iron Age materials, mainly ceramics. Its use during prehistoric times and the Iberian Iron Age has been well documented. However, archaeological evidence of its use during the Roman period was scarce until now.

The new findings suggest that the site was used for ritualistic purposes around the first century CE.

In addition to the Roman sanctuary, Cova de les Dones is also renowned for its Paleolithic rock art. A 2023 study published in the British journal Antiquity reported the existence of more than a hundred rock art motifs nearly 24,000 years old.

This makes Cova de les Dones the largest site of Paleolithic rock art in eastern Iberia and one of the most important Paleolithic sites around the Mediterranean Sea.

"Despite the progress made, work at Cova de les Dones is still in its early stages," noted the research team, as reported by La Razón. "Only about 20% of the Paleolithic decorated area has been studied in detail, indicating that the cave still holds many secrets."

The discovery has implications for understanding the interaction between the Iberian Peninsula and Roman civilization in the region.

The archaeological study at Cova de les Dones is part of the DONARQ project, which aims to analyze the rock sanctuary within its historical context.

The research team also includes Dr. Virginia Barciela González, a professor of Prehistory at the University of Alicante and a member of the University Research Institute of Archaeology and Historical Heritage (INAPH), and Dr. Ximo Martorell Briz, an archaeologist at the Territorial Culture Service of Valencia and honorary collaborator of the Prehistory Area of the University of Alicante.

The epigraphic analysis is being conducted in collaboration with Víctor Sabaté Vidal, an epigraphy specialist and professor of Archaeology at the Universitat de València. The recovery and extraction of the Roman coin were carried out by Trinidad Pasíes Oviedo, head of the restoration department at the Museo de Prehistoria de Valencia, and Carles Ferrer, curator of the same institution.

Technicians from the Dirección General de Patrimonio Cultural visited the site and confirmed the veracity and importance of the discovery, according to La Razón.

"As research progresses, new revelations are expected to provide a deeper understanding of the symbolic and religious significance of the Cova de les Dones underground sanctuary," the researchers said.