Impressive new archaeological discoveries made in Rojales

Christian basilica could be one of the oldest rural religious buildings in Alicante province

Important new discoveries have been made at the archaeological site on the Cabezo del Molino hill in Rojales.

They include what could be one of the oldest rural religious buildings in Alicante province, a Christian basilica that formed part of a complex considered to be the largest Byzantine necropolis in the Iberian Peninsula.

This dig was carried out during the first three weeks of September, during the eighth campaign of excavations at the site organised by the Archaeological Museum of Alicante (MARQ) and funded by the Provincial Council.

Locating the necropolis, dated by radiocarbon to mid‑6th century to early‑7th century AD, brought the Cabezo Molino to international attention.

Anthropological and paleopathological analysis of the human remains and genetic studies have been carried out with the Max Planck Institute in Germany.

The building discovered this year has a layout and style that resemble the earliest Christian basilicas (which were comparable in size to modern hermitages).

This find, which is of great importance to the scientific community, could represent the first documented example of a complete funerary complex, including two burial areas and a religious building associated with them.

What makes it even more valuable is its age, as it could be one of the oldest rural basilicas or religious buildings in the province of Alicante.

On a visit to the site last week, one of the directors of the excavations since 2018, Teresa Ximénez de Embún and the director of the MARQ, Manuel Olcina were joined by the provincial deputy for culture, Juan de Dios Navarro.

“The Provincial Council is firmly committed to archaeological research in order to document and research the discoveries and to increase knowledge about the ancient civilisations that populated this area,” said Navarro.

Images: Diputación de Alicante