Vanessa Irla highlighted this site and the declaration of Cerro de las Cabezas as an archaeological park, showing the City Council’s commitment to preserving heritage
Mr. Deputy Mayor for Culture, Tourism and Festivals, Vanessa Irla, visited this Wednesday the new archaeological digs which take place in the Roman cellar of El Peral in Valdepeñasthrough a line grant from the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha 6,000 euros for research using analysis and dating methods such as thermoluminescence and the contribution of an additional 6,000 euros from the Municipality of Valdepenas for the rental of three pawns, which represents a total investment of 12,000 euros.
The works, which began on September 21, will last five weeks, so they will end on October 26, focusing on the interior of the cellar.
Irla stressed that these works are a continuation of those carried out last year and recalled that the archaeological remains of the Roman villa were found during the works to realize the roundabout of El Peralbeing one of the most important nuclei of the late Roman period in the region.
The Deputy Mayor pointed out interest of the town hall in preserving the heritage, like Cerro de las Cabezas, declared an archaeological park by the Castilla-La Mancha Government Council, and like this Roman site, for which he works with the Community Council and associations like Orisos, “to meet our ancestors and highlight our here “.
He indicated that the results of the analyzes carried out will be announced soon. “What is important is the proof that the wine is made in this cellaras well as the freestone found and other elements, which will provide precise information and which will lead to other more in-depth studies and to the dissemination of information”.
Thomas Torres, responsible for the research project, recalled that the first campaign on this site of El Peral dates back to 2010 and that progress has been made in the knowledge of houses and goods from the end of Roman times. In 2021, elements such as utensils were analyzed and this year progress will be made in the investigations, in excavating the part that remains unresolved from the previous campaign and in the production and storage of wine at this time. Dating by technoluminescence will be carried out. “The analyzes that will be carried out in this campaign will be oriented towards the dating by thermoluminescence, not only of the main structure of the winery, but also of certain reforms that may have been made, in this way we will have the complete sequence of the construction of the whole building”.
Sunday Fernandez, member of Orisos, influenced the investigative workindicating that they attended international conferences to talk about the Roman site and the elements that appeared there, and in the broadcast workhighlighting that guided tours and open days have been carried out, which is also done and will be done in Cerro de las Cabezas, as well as an exhibition and conferences, activities that will be reported soon.
hill of heads
The deputy mayor appreciated the qualification of Cerro de las Cabezas as an archaeological park, indicating that it is a satisfaction for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, since it has been working on it for years, especially in the last three. He thanked the Regional President as well as the Minister and Deputy Minister of Culture for their sensitivity to this issue. He stated that Cerro de las Cabezas is a gem and has showcased its potential.
He also recognized the work of the technicians of the Ministry of Culture to carry out the necessary steps.
You indicated that the announcement of the qualification of an archaeological park was made to coincide with world tourism day “valuing this gem that we have in Valdepeñas and which is still a great unknown”. “It is the seventh archaeological park in Castilla-La Mancha, but you could say it is the seventh wonder of the region”.
Irla has indicated that it will continue to carry out activities to publicize the Cerro de las Cabezas, as it has done this year on World Tourism Day, as it does with visits to educational centers… research from different universities and Orisos will continue. “Information will become knowledge.”
“He is a pure Iberian city and you can walk where the Iberians did 2,500 years ago, see the warehouse, its walls, the houses, the sanctuary and the interpretation center, which helps us understand the Iberian culture” .
He also underlined the fact that this year the work on the hotel from the Hill of Heads.
The deputy mayor indicated that the qualification of archaeological park will benefit Valdepeñas and will generate wealth because it involves the signaling of the square on the A-4 motorway, with the impacts on its thousands of users, it provides access to subsidies and the dissemination of the regional government of the archaeological parks of the autonomous community.
the local archaeologist, Julien Velez, pointed out that they have been working on the Cerro de las Cabezas for 30 years and that work is now beginning on the site of El Peral, consolidating what has been found and raising the walls to simulate the cellar, the villa and the houses, so that the two filings are brought to the attention of citizens.
He recalled that El Peral also has the aquatic center and the Cura Rabadán baths.