Munigua (prov. Sevilla)

Munigua (prov. Sevilla). Roman town in the Sierra Morena mountains with a monumental terraced sactuary

The excavation (begun in 1956) is directed by the Madrid Section of the German Archaeological Institute. Since 1997/98 the main problem of research has been the economic basis of the town. This project is determined for six years.

Location

Munigua von Westen

In Andalusia some 50 km north-east of Seville in the southern foothills of the Sierra Morena mountains and surrounded by forests of stone- and cork-oak. Local name: Castillo de Mulva. Small Roman municipium (town surface some 4 ha) with a terraced sanctuary, podium temple, minor sanctuaries, a two-storeyed hall, forum, baths, villae, city wall, and two cemeteries. At the foot of the city hill, there is a spring which, due to a geological anomaly, pours water all the year round. fig.: Munigua from the west.

History

	Munigua von Osten

The archaeological remains demonstrate an occupation of the site over almost 1000 years. A pre-Roman phase which, according to sparse pottery finds, is likely to have begun around the 2nd half of the 5th century B. C. cannot be connected with any building remains yet. It is only from the 1st century B. C. that a settlement is known, the existence of which can probably be explained by smelting furnaces found in large numbers on the settlement hill. A contract of patronage on a bronze tablet documents the presence of Romans on the site. From the 70s of the 1st century A. D. onwards, the extension and improvement of the town can be detected which occurred in one stroke and was completed at the beginning of the 2nd century A. D. (fig.: view of the town from the west and the east). This meant the abandonment of the furnaces within the city boundaries. One decisive event in the city history were large-scale destructions presumably caused by an earthquake of the 3rd century A. D. The inhabitants arranged themselves within the ruins in a rough and ready way. Representative new buildings were no longer tackled. The site seems to have been abandoned at latest by the 6th century A. D. Later on, only scattered finds of Islamic pottery attest sparse life continuing on the site.  

Objectives

In comparison with the many Roman towns of the Iberian Peninsula Munigua has an exceptional character, which was clear from the very beginning and the symbol of which is the terraced sanctuary, the only one of this type outside of Latium/Italy. The researchers endeavour to explain the reasons for the exceptional character and thus to gain a synthetic view of the whole city.  

History of Research

So far, three stages of research can be grasped. During the first stage from 1956 to 1977, attention was mainly given to the excavation of the buildings on the city hill and the investigation of the monumental terraced sanctuary. Besides, the eastern necropolis was explored. During the second stage until 1996, the topic of residential buildings was given priority. In this period, the town villae were excavated. The following third stage has been and still is aiming at the investigation of the economic basis of the town. 

Previous Activities

	Vermessung der Kupfermine La Pepa

Topographical documentation of the mines and mining sites concentrating in three find areas: La Pepa, Puerto Cid, and Manchallana. So far, the find sites of La Pepa and Puerto Cid have been investigated and documented and the documentation of features in Munigua itself has been completed (fig.: Munigua, copper mining).  

Current Work

Analysis of the archaeological find material from the mentioned find sites and sampling of stones and ores. 

Methods

Field research (survey) for the exploration of find sites with the aid of prior documentation by survey companies and of information from the local population. Topographical surveys on the surface and under ground.  

Results

The exceptional character of the town becomes clear by the following observations:
- the situation in the southern foothills of the Sierra Morena, far beyond the valley of the river Guadalquivir, a position which cannot easily be explained by itself,
- the foundation almost ex novo,
- the development of the city which does not take place in slow growth, but with great rapidity,
- the construction of the terraced sanctuary in an architectonic form which, at this time (around A. D. 70), had not been used any more for some 160 years and the recourse to this building type which is typical for the region of Latium in Italy and had not all been used anywhere beyond,
- the fact that the town was deserted and not re-occupied afterwards. An explanation for this may be expected from the new research project. As it seems, the well-being of the town was so closely connected with the ore mining in its surroundings (at first, mainly copper and later iron, probably also gold) that its exhaustion had immediate consequences for the municipium.  

Cooperation

The excavation is conducted with the approval of the Spanish authorities. The relevant authority is the Dirección General de Bienes Culturales, a department of the cultural section (Consejería de Cultura) der Junta de Andalucía. There are also cooperations and agreements with several universities and research institutes, particularly with: Delegación Provincial, Seville; Eurasien-Abteilung des DAI, Berlin; Kommission für Alte Geschichte und Epigraphik, Munich; Museo Arqueológico, Seville; University of Huelva; University of Seville; University of Southampton; Zentrale des DAI, Berlin. The number of participants in the annual campaigns is limited. Applications of interested students are welcome. 

Bibliography

The monographic series appears within the context of Madrider Beiträge edited by the Madrid Section. So far, volumes I-IV have been published, V and VI are in preparation. Preliminary reports have been published in the journal Madrider Mitteilungen. A summary of the present results can be found in: Th. G. Schattner, Munigua. Cuarenta Años de Investigaciones (2002).