By Johanna Gardener •
Published: 22 Oct 2024 • 12:44
• 2 minutes read
A team of archaeologists, volunteers, students and researchers from the University of Granada say they have unearthed the Ancient Roman forum of Ocuri in the municipality of Ubrique in Cádiz.
Researchers believe the excavation is key to understanding the existence of the Romans in Spain. Forums during this period were the centre of Roman cities and were a focal point of social, religious and political activities as well as water-related practices.
Professor Macarena Bustamante Álvarez said in a statement that the main goal of the excavation was to examine the hypothesis presented by local scholar, Juan Vegazo, at the end of the 18th century, who, believed that the central hill terrace popularly known as “Cerro de la Mora” contained the remains of the Roman city forum.
The meticulous excavation unearthed a perimeter wall that measured 1m high by 16m long. Also recuperated from under layers of earth were a number of structures and public buildings. Archaeologists confirmed the discovery of a monumental altar accompanied by a series of decorative remains. “These include the bases of other evidence of statue pedestals and column remains scattered throughout the city.”
In examining the the key pieces of evidence, one of the most significant finds was the discovery of coins found in the excavation proving the site was continually inhabited until the end of the 4th century. The exciting discovery was made when coins were discovered which displayed Christogram which was the first example of Christian iconography unearthed at the site.
Adding to this discovery were ceramics from North Africa further highlighting evidence of earlier occupation that lasted until the 3rd century. It also shed light on understanding the trade routes linking commercial activity with Gibraltar, the Mediterranean and North Africa.
The team of archaeologists additionally uncovered medieval defensive structure. A spokesperson said: “This building would have provided visual contact between this site and other fortifications in the surrounding area that would have been used to oversee this mountainous region of Cádiz.”
The excavations at the ancient form of Ocuri offer important and exciting informative insights towards understanding and piecing together vital clues as to how the Romans established themselves in the Iberian peninsula.
Sign up for personalised news
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our
Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Written by
Johanna Gardener
Originally from Manchester, UK and with a degree in English with Modern Foreign Languages, she has been a permanent resident in Spain for the past 12 years. Many of these years, she has spent working as a secondary school teacher, as well as in journalism, editing and marketing. She currently lives in the historic centre of Malaga, where she enjoys writing, walking and animals.
Leave a comment Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Known as the PEOPLE’S PAPER, Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain. And it’s FREE!
Covering the Almeria, Axarquia, Costa Blanca North, Costa Blanca South, Costa del Sol , Costa Calida, Mallorca and beyond, EWN supports and inspires the individuals, neighbourhoods, and communities we serve, by delivering news with a social conscience. Whether it’s local news in Spain, UK news or international stories, we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home.
With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month, EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain. The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close.
Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP), Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall). All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers. All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE.
Sign up for personalised news
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Close
