The 18th MARQ Excavation Campaign in the Medieval Pobla d'Ifach has concluded the documentation and extraction of the entire stone arcade of the West Gate of the site. The deputy of Culture, Juan de Dios Navarro, together with the mayoress of Calp, Ana Sala, have visited this important archaeological site this morning to see first-hand the results of these research works, which have also included the excavation of the last three tombs discovered in the necropolis area. The visit was also attended by the director of the MARQ, Manuel Olcina, the head of the campaign and archaeologist of the museum of Alicante, José Luis Menéndez, the general director of Natural and Animal Environment, Raúl Mérida, the provincial deputy and councillor of Calpe, Ximo Perles, the national deputy, César Sánchez and the regional deputy Noelia Císcar.
The documentation and extraction of the whole stone arcade of the West Gate, which was partially found last summer, will allow the reconstruction of the entrance arch, recovering a fundamental space in the urban planning of the city, since this gate was used to access the Ifach settlements.
Meanwhile, the work in the consecrated funerary area, located next to the church of Beata Santa María, has consisted of the excavation of the last three tombs discovered, the study of which is key to understanding the identity and way of life of the men and women who built and inhabited this medieval city.
In this sense, José Luis Menéndez explained that, so far and thanks to the interventions carried out in successive campaigns, "70 tombs have been located with a total of 108 buried bodies, giving rise to a valuable archive of data that will allow us to know in depth details of the life cycle, diet and circumstances of the daily life of the inhabitants of Ifach".
Since 2005, the Provincial Council has invested more than 400,000 euros in this project developed by the MARQ with the collaboration of the Calp Town Council and the Regional Ministry for the Environment, Water, Infrastructures and Territory. In this eighteenth edition, in addition to the technicians, twelve volunteers from the universities of Valencia and Alicante have participated.
In addition, and in parallel to the archaeological research work, the Diputación de Alicante has continued with the preventive conservation work at the site. Under the direction of the head of the Architecture Department, Rafael Pérez, the work has focused on the consolidation of Tower 7, one of the bastions protecting the West Gate, and the cimiterium, where this year a collector has been placed in the pavement to concentrate rainwater and prevent it from damming and damaging the uncovered tombs and walls.