Annual archaeological dig begins on Isla del Fraile in Aguilas

Evidence has been found in recent years that Isla del Fraile was home to Bronze Age settlers before the Romans and the Moors

The arrival of autumn sees the departure of the peak season holidaymakers from Águilas but also heralds the arrival of an international team of archaeologists who are taking part in the 5^th annual dig on the islet of Isla del Fraile, just couple of kilometres to the east of the town.

The dig began on Monday 2^nd September and lasts for two weeks, with many of the participants coming from the University of Murcia and others from those of Barcelona, Jaén, the Complutense in Madrid, the Canaries and the CSIC. Others taking part include visitors from the UK and Canada, all of them overseen by Alejandro Quevedo (CSIC) and Juan de Dios Hernández García (the Museo Arqueológico of Águilas).

There are unproven theories that even before the Romans and the Moors settled on the island there were settlements of other cultures, and since 2023 the artifacts found have suggested a population going back to the Bronze Age. The main areas of investigation this year are once again three sectors close to the beach, once of which contains a series of Roman water tanks probably connected with the production of “garum” sauce and other fish-based foodstuffs.

At the same time divers from the Instituto Balear de Estudios en Arqueología Marítima (IBEAM) will be investigating the Bay of Hornillo in collaboration with the national ARQVA museum in Cartagena, searching for wrecks and artifacts in areas where boats and ships were moored, while experts in Roman painting and architecture are joining from the universities of Córdoba and Murcia.

It is anticipated that the results of the 2024 dig will be published in international specialist magazines before the end of the year.

For more local events, news and visiting information go to the home page of Águilas Today.