Águilas digs deeper into the Roman and early medieval past

The annual archaeological dig begins on the Isla del Fraile

In recent years it has become ever clearer that the Isla del Fraile, which is just a few metres from the mainland to the east of the town of Águilas, has an importance which far outstrips its attractive location and the abundance of marine life around it.

Archaeological discoveries have shown considerable activity on the islet during the periods of Roman and Moorish rule in what is now the Region of Murcia, and the 7^th annual dig is now under way with participants coming from as far afield as the universities of Alicante, Granada, the Complutense, Madrid and Oxford as well as Murcia.

The dig takes place in the last week of August and the first of September, and is overseen by Juan de Dios Hernández García of the Museo Arqueológico de Águilas and Alejandro Quevedo of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, who are this year focussing on the levels where the oldest artifacts have been found (dating from the 1^st century BC) along with those representing the late Roman period (4^th and 5^th centuries) and the Islamic burial ground (12^th to 13^th century).

In the next few months the results will be presented at various international conferences, as has been the case in other years, and the ceramics already found at Isla del Fraile are the subject of a presentation at the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid in late September.

For more local events, news and visiting information, contact the tourist office of Águilas (telephone 968 493285) or go to the home page of Águilas Today.