![]() ![]() The Phoenicians were the first ancient empire to set its sights on these tranquil and beautiful islands. The Romans were one of many foreign empires and kingdoms that occupied the Balearic island nations, including Menorca, between the first millennium BC and the first millennium AD. ![]() ( University of Alicante ) The Complex and Colorful History of Son Catlar and Menorca The Romans stationed at Son Catlar in the first century BC undoubtedly left behind these sacrifices to protect themselves from invading enemy soldiers, who might try to break in through the gate or otherwise breach the fortress’s solid stone walls.Īn aerial view of the Son Catlar fortress site where the Roman artifacts were recently unearthed. Valuable items left at the entry points to such passageways would be seen as offerings to Janus, who out of his benevolence would then prevent evil forces or beings from passing through. Sacred entrances were frequently associated with Janus, a god who offered protection to those who were undergoing transitions or traveling down new passageways to different places or times. In Roman spiritual traditions, doorways could sometimes represent sacred entrance points. Ancient Cave Crystals Reveal Sea Levels Were 50 Feet Higher in Warmer ClimateĮxcavated bent doorway at Son Catlar.Hundreds of Roman Wine Amphorae Found in Underwater Cave.Such as the burying of valuable personal or military equipment, for example. “The Romans gave a sacred value to the gates of the cities, and to seal one definitively would entail certain actions of a magical nature.” “Roman soldiers were very superstitious and used to perform rites,” explained University of Alicante archaeologist and INAPH project director Fernando Prados. Their location next to the Son Catlar gate is significant, because it shows they were buried as talismans or good luck charms. This includes weapons of various types, knives, projectiles, arrowheads, spearheads, surgical tools, and a bronze spatula. The stash of items the INAPH team uncovered included many objects that would have been used by Roman soldiers and their support staff. ( University of Alicante ) Menorca’s Son Catlar Roman Artifacts: Weapons and Tools They’ve been searching for artifacts and ruins that would reveal more historical information about the many cultures that have made their mark on Spain’s Balearic island chain, of which Menorca is a part.Īmong the Roman artifacts uncovered at Son Catlar were this spatula and surgical instrument (left) and a Roman knife (right). Archaeologists from several Spanish universities have been involved in this work, which has been ongoing for the past six years. The current excavations at Son Catlar are being sponsored by the Institute for Research in Archaeology and Historical Heritage (INAPH), which is connected to the University of Alicante. An assortment of military-related items was excavated near the fortress’s entrance gate, which means the Romans must have occupied this imposing defensive structure that was built many centuries before their arrival (by the island’s indigenous settlers, around 1,200 BC). Archaeologists digging at the Son Catlar stone fortress on the Mediterranean island of Menorca (or Minorca) have unearthed a collection of buried Roman artifacts dating back to the year 100 BC, the University of Alicante in Spain reports.
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