The Junta de Andalucía’s Deputy Regional Minister for Culture and Historical Heritage, Macarena O´Neill, has visited Mojácar accompanied by the Delegate for Historic Heritage in Almería, Eloísa Cabrera Carmona.
On her arrival in the locality, she was welcomed by Mojácar Mayor Rosa María Cano and members of her government team.
The Mayor thanked the Historical Heritage deputy regional minister and the delegate for coming, especially since it was one of the first visits Mrs O’Neill has made since her recent appointment.
Following an initial contact about the matters which brought them to the municipality, the Deputy Regional Minister signed the Mojácar Book of Honour, dedicating some warm words, in which her good reception to the town stood out: “a town with a great artistic heritage and such a cultural past, as well as the certainty of the good results of the work carried out by the Local Council to benefit its residents.”
Macarena O´Neill know of the existence of other important sites in the municipality, such as the Las Pilas Chalcolitic settlement, which started in the ancient Copper Age and lasted to its end, and that of Loma el Monte, belonging to the Neolithic period.
Although her main interest was centred on the excavations currently being carried out on Mojácar la Vieja by the University of Granada, under the patronage of Mojácar Council and the collaboration of the Fundación Valparaíso.
The Deputy Regional Minister described the restoration of Mojácar la Vieja as pioneer in Almería province in terms of approach and forms of management.
They subsequently visited the excavation to see first-hand the progress made so far and the current state of the works in this 2021 campaign.
There they were welcomed by José María Civantos, Director of the MemoLab biocultural laboratory, which is part of the University of Granada.
Civantos gave a general explanation of the conclusions reached to date in relation to the creation of the first settlement of Mojácar, around the 12th century, and the possible reasons for the move to the new location which we know today.
They visited the first access to Mojácar la Vieja, the town gates, flanked by two impressive towers and part of the wall which protected it. The remains of these structures are perfectly defined and in a relatively good state of preservation, although only the lower part of the structure of the towers remains.
They went round some of the streets which made up Mojácar la Vieja, which are now emerging, including a number of small houses, rooms and homes of its inhabitants.
Also during the tour, they also had the opportunity to meet the 30 archaeologists taking part in the 2021 campaign and to learn about their impressions from these recent days.
As part of their packed agenda for the day, Macarena O´Neill and Eloísa Carmona included a visit to the Municipal Library facilities, which have recently been increased with the purchase of new books.
