Date:

Archaeologists find rock carved face at Benidorm’s Roman fort

Archaeologists from the University of Alicante have discovered a rock carved face at the Tossal de La Cala, a roman fort in Benidorm on the Mediterranean coast of Spain.

Tossal de La Cala was a fort or “castellum” built by General Quinto Sertorio around the year 77 BC during the Sertorian Wars, a civil war fought from 80 to 72 BC between a faction of Roman rebels (Sertorians) and the government in Rome (Sullans) on the Iberian Peninsula (Hispania).

- Advertisement -

The fort was part of a chain of coastal military enclaves which monitored maritime trade and protected the shore from enemy ships.

Excavations by archaeologists from the University of Alicante have discovered a 2,000-year-old rock carved “inscultura” face consisting of three artistic representations showing a human face, a cornucopia, and a phallus.

The carving measures 57 x 42 centimetres, however, the researchers suggest that parts of the carving are incomplete with the upper right section being missing.

The intention of the carving is unknown, it may have been graffiti or had a ritualistic purpose. The inclusion of a phallus suggests that it may have served to provide protection, as the Roman’s believed that the phallus was the embodiment of a masculine generative power, and was one of the tokens of the safety of the state (sacra Romana) giving protection and good fortune.

- Advertisement -

Phallic imagery can be found across the Roman world in sculptures, mosaics, and frescoes, and portable objects such as pendants or bulla, to ward off evil that may prey on children (in particular, young boys), or from the wandering evil eye (malus oculus) of men.

The depiction of a cornucopia “horn of plenty” suggests the possibility that the face could represent a god or goddess, as many deities from the Roman pantheon associated with the harvest, prosperity, or spiritual abundance are often shown carrying a cornucopia in Roman reliefs and coins.

University of Alicante

Header Image Credit : University of Alicante

- Advertisement -
spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

$1 million prize offered for deciphering the Indus Valley script

In a recent press statement, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin announced a $1 million prize to anyone who can successfully decipher the Indus Valley script.

Rare votive treasures of the Cham people found in “Sacred Pit”

Archaeologists excavating a Buddhist temple site in the An Phú district of Vietnam’s An Giang province have found rare votive treasures of the Cham people.

Roman-Era boundary stone sheds light on ancient administration

Archaeologists excavating the biblical site of Abel Beth Maacah in northern Israel have uncovered a rare Tetrarchic boundary stone, offering valuable insights into ancient land management under Roman rule.

New evidence may reveal the source of mercury in the tomb of the First Emperor

The tomb of the First Emperor, also known as the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, is the burial complex of Qin Shi Huang, the founder of the Qin Dynasty and the first ruler to unify China.

Statue found embedded in ancient wall at Philippi

Recent fire safety works at the ruins of Philippi have uncovered significant archaeological findings, including a public building with a statue embedded in its walls.

Pre-Viking fragment from “one of Scandinavia’s most magnificent helmets” discovered in Lejre

An exceptionally rare fragment of a Pre-Viking helmet has been discovered in Lejre, Denmark.

Ming Dynasty tombs unearthed in China’s Shanxi province

Archaeologists from the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology have unearthed three brick-built tombs during excavations in the city of Changzhi, Shanxi Province, China.

Archaeologists uncover architectural elements from the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

Archaeologists excavating at Deir el-Bahari in Luxor, Egypt, have uncovered architectural elements that once belonged to the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut.