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Program Overview 2023
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The Roman forum of Valeria
Carthaginem conveniunt populi LXV...the following towns, enjoying the rights of ancient Latium:.. and the Valerienses. Pliny the Elder. Natural History, 3-25. The Roman city of Valeria is located in central Spain, to the south of the city of Cuenca in the area called Sierra Alta. It was founded between 93-82 BC by the proconsul Gaius Valerius Flaccus, who put down the last revolts of the indigenous Celtiberians. Given the unstable climate at the time, the city was planed and constructed on a narrow plateau very well defended; between two streams with high cliffs . But Valeria was also planned within the Roman program of colonization of the interior of the Iberian Peninsula, as one of the romanized setlements that were to become administrative, economic and commercial centers of a new region. |
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The imposing gorge of the river Gritos sculpts and shapes the landscape around Valeria. Deep limestone canyons modeled by the action of the water, varied vegetation in which thyme and rosemary groves alternate with communities of black juniper or poplar and poplar groves, specimens of peregrine falcon, Bonelli's eagle or eagle owl make up a unique natural catalog that will delight all nature or adventure sports lovers.
Valeria’s splendor spans from the time of Augustus to the Flavians. It was then that a building program was designed to give monumentality to the heart of the city. Numerous vestiges of it’s earliest moments are also preserved, including part of the Republican forum and some of its outbuildings. As the orography of the chosen place for the city was very irregular, in order to obtain a sufficiently flat, horizontal space, suitable for the function of a square, it was necessary to create a large artificial terrace in the narrowest part of the peninsula. For this purpose, four retaining walls were erected on which the forum was constructed. On the west side a temple for the emperor cult was constructed, and in the east wing a colonnade of 86m long, and taking advantage of the unevenness of the ground, a nymphaeum and another portico oriented to the outside were placed under the colonnade. Under the nymphaeum we can still see an alignment of tabernae. In the rest of the space around the forum there are public and administrative buildings such as the curia, the basilica or the tabularium.
The Forum was the administrative, political and religious center of the city. It was formed by a large arcaded square around which the main public buildings were distributed. It was well paved and this pavement was covering 4 large water cisterns. The remodeling of the forum took place in the time of the emperors Tiberius, Caligula and Claudio, ending roughly between 20 and 50 AD.
The four cisterns in the center of the Forum were covered by barrel vaults and are an exemplary example of Roman hydraulic engineering. Its walls are made of opus caementicium, the floor has a quarter-round molding at the juncture with the wall in order to facilitate cleaning and prevent leaks. The water was distributed through lead pipes, fistulae plumbae.
The four cisterns in the center of the Forum were covered by barrel vaults and are an exemplary example of Roman hydraulic engineering. Its walls are made of opus caementicium, the floor has a quarter-round molding at the juncture with the wall in order to facilitate cleaning and prevent leaks. The water was distributed through lead pipes, fistulae plumbae.
The basilica is located to the north of the Forum and also underwent extensive renovations, changing its archaic appearance of double portico for a central nave and a perimeter ambulatory. The interior decoration of this space was made of stuccoes and limestone slabs, with ornaments and moldings.
The Tabernae were located on the south, east and west side of the Forum. They were premises dedicated to commercial uses with a regular floor plan, with a large doorway, which were usually covered with a barrel vault and had a window above it to let light into a wooden attic that was used for storage. They were open to the main roads of the city.
The height of the Forum over the area, allows the layout of cryptoporticus to extend its surface to the West and a monumental entrance with a staircase to the South.
The Tabernae were located on the south, east and west side of the Forum. They were premises dedicated to commercial uses with a regular floor plan, with a large doorway, which were usually covered with a barrel vault and had a window above it to let light into a wooden attic that was used for storage. They were open to the main roads of the city.
The height of the Forum over the area, allows the layout of cryptoporticus to extend its surface to the West and a monumental entrance with a staircase to the South.
The Nymphaeum. On the east side of the forum lies this very original fountain building dedicated to the nymphs and rivers. It is very large at over 105m long of which more than 80 belong to the fountain proper. This makes it one of the largest known throughout the Roman Empire and, of course, the largest in Hispania. The Nymphaeum did not perhaps figure in the first, late-republican, forum and was perhaps devised when forum was raised in level in the remodelling of the first century AD in the Claudius era. It is, however, a very old example since its construction must date from the early years of the 1st c. AD, and therefore well before the great nymphaea of Africa (2nd c. AD) so that Valeria is closer to the older Hellenistic types.
The hillside fell abruptly on this side of the Forum and it was necessary to build a high retaining wall which would have compromised its aesthetic appearance. Therefore the designer of the forum took advantage of this wall to create a shrine to water gods, typical in the celtibérian world. In front of the wall, decorated with rectangular niches and alcoves, shops were built at the foot of the retaining wall. Their roofs served as part of an elongated terrace at a lower floor level of the Forum and divided into two halves, one like a large balcony supporting the retaining wall on the rear and providing a view over all the city, and the other half covered and attached to nymphaeum.
The hillside fell abruptly on this side of the Forum and it was necessary to build a high retaining wall which would have compromised its aesthetic appearance. Therefore the designer of the forum took advantage of this wall to create a shrine to water gods, typical in the celtibérian world. In front of the wall, decorated with rectangular niches and alcoves, shops were built at the foot of the retaining wall. Their roofs served as part of an elongated terrace at a lower floor level of the Forum and divided into two halves, one like a large balcony supporting the retaining wall on the rear and providing a view over all the city, and the other half covered and attached to nymphaeum.
excavation
From 1951 to 1974, archaeological excavations began, in which the people of the modern small village became actively involved, putting an end to the plundering, and an attempt was made to divulge the Roman city of Valeria in various forums and congresses. A Local Museum was also created in 1952, which would be the germ of the Archaeological Museum of Cuenca. From 1974 to 1978, the excavation of Valeria was greatly promoted under the direction of Manuel Osuna, after the departure of Suay. From 1979 the new director was Ángel Fuentes. During this period, work continued in the Forum: the Basilica, until its total excavation and the site of the Curia, the tabernae of the wing of the Nymphaeum were excavated to the end, the cave dwelling known as "hanging house" was cleaned and excavation began in the Cryptoporticus. On the southern side of the Forum structures is the House of the Adobe. Another example of private urbanism is the "Casa del Hoyo". The Roman city had a good water supply through an articulated system of aqueducts that can be seen carved into the rock. The objects found at this site are in the museum of Cuenca, including the treasure of Valeria consisting of silver coins dating from the period after the Second Punic War in about 185 BC. |
Baths. The Roman baths of Valeria were discovered in 2014/15, on the northern slope of the forum. They date back to the 1st century and fell into disuse in the 3rd century. The complex covered more than 1000 square metres, of which about 250 have been excavated. An arcaded palestra with columns, a swimming pool, a room with a polychrome mosaic and a room with a marble floor have been uncovered. The walls were covered with marble. Numerous ceramic remains, marble, cornices, ironwork, stucco and between 30,000 and 40,000 tesserae have been found.
The frigidarium or cold room was paved with polychrome and geometric mosaics. Archaeological excavations have exhumed the structures belonging to two different rooms: a western room, the frigidarium or cold room, and an oriental room paved with polychrome and geometric mosaics. The frigidarium, excavated almost entirely, has, on the western side, a natatio or indoor pool with a series of steps or benches attached to the northern and southern flanks. The excavation of these rooms has recovered about a thousand marble pieces of different typologies and provenances that were part of both the paving and parietal coatings, as well as abundant remains of mosaics and wall paintings that show the decorative richness of this space.
The frigidarium or cold room was paved with polychrome and geometric mosaics. Archaeological excavations have exhumed the structures belonging to two different rooms: a western room, the frigidarium or cold room, and an oriental room paved with polychrome and geometric mosaics. The frigidarium, excavated almost entirely, has, on the western side, a natatio or indoor pool with a series of steps or benches attached to the northern and southern flanks. The excavation of these rooms has recovered about a thousand marble pieces of different typologies and provenances that were part of both the paving and parietal coatings, as well as abundant remains of mosaics and wall paintings that show the decorative richness of this space.

Goals for 2023
In our first excavation campaign in Valeria during the summer of 2022 many important discoveries were made. Excavating at the forum, fragments of sculpture, pedestals and memorial headstones were abundant. As an example, we found an inscription on a pedestal corresponding to a statue of Annia, which was made by the will of Gaius Grattius. Gaius was IIIIVIR, the highest office in the city, and twice a priest or Flamen of the emperor's cult. We have also found a fairly large number of construction elements such as fragments of bases and column capitals. Two capitals are especially important, one of them is Corinthian, very likely from the time of Augustus and the other has a decoration that has no exact parallels in all the Roman West. In addition to the capitals, some small bronzes have been found, such as a stylus for writing. But the most important of all is a torch fragment corresponding to a statue of the Goddess Ceres. This is a remarkable find, since there was no news of the presence of this goddess in the Valeria forum, and it is the only known in Hispania so far. The torch is an attribute of the goddess Ceres (Greek Demeter), related to the nine days she was given, to search the underworld for her daughter Proserpina (Greek Persephone), where Pluton (Greek Hades) had taken her.
In 2023 the excavations will undertake the investigation of one of the unexcavated cores of the Forum; in the area known as the Exedra or Temple of the Imperial Worship. This area is located between the cardo maximus and the tabernae under the emperor's cult building. This area is 10x10m and at least 2m deep, and is located between the wall that encloses the Forum on the west and to the east of the tabernae excavated in 1981.
The construction of the first forum, or Republican forum, is dated to around 20-15 BC.
This witness is therefore located in an area which, according to its researchers, underwent the following transformations: On the west side a huge semi-circular building was laid out, inserted into the large rectangular bay that had to be built parallel to the new platform, subdivided into tabernae. This building went over the cryptoportico to the foral area where it had its façade.
This "huge semicircular building", known as the Exedra and which researchers propose to rename the Temple of Imperial Worship, is located between the tabernae. Between the tabernae and the enclosure of the forum there is a long, narrow space known generically as the cryptoporticus; it could be interpreted as an underground street allowing passage from one wing of the forum to the other. The portico that enclosed the forum on this side must have been located above it. The temple of imperial worship would have been accessed from the forum, but it is not clear how it would have ended on the other side, towards the cardo maximum.
In our first excavation campaign in Valeria during the summer of 2022 many important discoveries were made. Excavating at the forum, fragments of sculpture, pedestals and memorial headstones were abundant. As an example, we found an inscription on a pedestal corresponding to a statue of Annia, which was made by the will of Gaius Grattius. Gaius was IIIIVIR, the highest office in the city, and twice a priest or Flamen of the emperor's cult. We have also found a fairly large number of construction elements such as fragments of bases and column capitals. Two capitals are especially important, one of them is Corinthian, very likely from the time of Augustus and the other has a decoration that has no exact parallels in all the Roman West. In addition to the capitals, some small bronzes have been found, such as a stylus for writing. But the most important of all is a torch fragment corresponding to a statue of the Goddess Ceres. This is a remarkable find, since there was no news of the presence of this goddess in the Valeria forum, and it is the only known in Hispania so far. The torch is an attribute of the goddess Ceres (Greek Demeter), related to the nine days she was given, to search the underworld for her daughter Proserpina (Greek Persephone), where Pluton (Greek Hades) had taken her.
In 2023 the excavations will undertake the investigation of one of the unexcavated cores of the Forum; in the area known as the Exedra or Temple of the Imperial Worship. This area is located between the cardo maximus and the tabernae under the emperor's cult building. This area is 10x10m and at least 2m deep, and is located between the wall that encloses the Forum on the west and to the east of the tabernae excavated in 1981.
The construction of the first forum, or Republican forum, is dated to around 20-15 BC.
This witness is therefore located in an area which, according to its researchers, underwent the following transformations: On the west side a huge semi-circular building was laid out, inserted into the large rectangular bay that had to be built parallel to the new platform, subdivided into tabernae. This building went over the cryptoportico to the foral area where it had its façade.
This "huge semicircular building", known as the Exedra and which researchers propose to rename the Temple of Imperial Worship, is located between the tabernae. Between the tabernae and the enclosure of the forum there is a long, narrow space known generically as the cryptoporticus; it could be interpreted as an underground street allowing passage from one wing of the forum to the other. The portico that enclosed the forum on this side must have been located above it. The temple of imperial worship would have been accessed from the forum, but it is not clear how it would have ended on the other side, towards the cardo maximum.

Valeria is a small municipality in the middle mountains of Cuenca with barely 80 inhabitants. Its urban area is structured around the Plaza Mayor, where we find the church, the Town Hall and some interesting mansions such as the house of the Curato and the house of the Dukes of Granada.
From the square you can see the Town Hall building, which dates from the 18th century. It has a rectangular floor plan and two floors.
The church of Nuestra Señora de la Sey, which was the seat of the Visigoth bishopric, stands out among the buildings in Valeria. The Visigothic seat was probably built over an ancient Roman temple of which the Airón well was preserved, and later, in the 12th and 13th centuries, the Romanesque temple was built, with three naves and three apses, unique in the province. And in the 16th and 17th centuries it was modified again, obtaining its current appearance. On its walls we can see Roman columns and funerary stelae, Visigothic pieces, or its Mudejar roof.
Attached to the church on the north side are the sacristy and the Parish Museum. This museum is of great value for housing, among others, artistic treasures such as: Baroque canvases, a Mudejar coffered ceiling, Roman funerary stelae, construction elements of Visigothic origin and an altar front made of Talavera tile. A museum has recently been installed in the site's old medieval church, with decorative construction pieces and epigraphs.
The group, including ArchaeoSpain staff, will be staying at two small guest houses near the Plaza Mayor.
The project will provide all meals; lunch and dinner every day in the bar-restaurant on the ground floor of the Town Hall. (If you have dietary requirements, the restaurant will be informed in advance).
Bibliography
ALFOLDY, G. 1999. “Aspectos de la vida urbana en las ciudades de la Meseta Sur”, en L. González (ed.), Ciudades privilegiadas en el Occidente romano, Sevilla, 467-485.
ATIENZA, J. 2019. “El complejo termal monumental de la ciudad romana de Valeria: propuesta de reconstrucción virtual de sus ambientes fríos a la luz de los hallazgos arqueológicos”. Virtual Archaeology Review, 10(21): 116-131.
CURCHIN, L. A. 2004. The Romanization of Central Spain. Complexity, diversity and change in a provincial hinterland, London and New York.
DOMÍNGUEZ, S., MUÑOZ, M., & ATIENZA, J. 2019. “Las termas romanas de Valeria (Cuenca, España)”. Actas del I Congreso Internacional Termas Públicas de Hispania. Cartagena: Universidad de Murcia.
DURÁN MAÑAS, M. Y MOÑOZ GALLARTE, I. 2003. “La Valeria romana”. Revista de Arqueología, 290, 40-49.
FUENTES DOMÍNGUEZ, Á.1988. “La cronología del yacimiento hispano-romano de Valeria y su relación con otros análogos de la Meseta”, in I Congreso de Historia de Castilla-La Mancha, vol IV, Toledo, 211-223.
- 1991. “Urbanismo privado y casas en Valeria», in La casa urbana hispanorromana, Zaragoza, 265-280.
-2006. “Escenarios de la plena romanización en Castilla-La Mancha”, in idem (ed.), Castilla-La Mancha en época romana y antigüedad tardía, Ciudad Real, 97-132.
FUENTES DOMÍNGUEZ, Á. & ESCOBAR FERNÁNDEZ, R. 2004. “Intervenciones arqueológicas en el foro de Valeria (campañas 1997-2002», in A. Caballero Klink and J. L. Ruiz Rodríguez (eds.), Investigaciones arqueológicas en Castilla-La Mancha, 1996-2002, Toledo, 229-244.
FUENTES, A.; BARRIO. J.; ROSANGELA, M.; FAIETA, R.; DONATE. F. CARRETERO, Mª C. y NOGUERA, J. M. 2019. “Las esculturas de bronce del templo de culto imperial del Foro de la ciudad romana de Valeria, estudio arqueológico, análisis arqueométrico y restauración”. Yakka, n. 22. Revista de estudios yeclanos. Escultura romana en Hispania IX, J. M. Noguera, L. Ruiz Eds. 301-318.
GIMENO PASCUAL, H. 2008. “Paisajes epigráficos en el espacio romano de la comunidad de Castilla-La Mancha”, in G. Carrasco (ed.), La romanización en el territorio de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, 261-338.
GOZALBES CRAVIOTO, E. 2009. “La ciudad romana de Valeria (Cuenca)”, UCLM. Ciudad Real.
KNAPP, R. C. 1977. The Roman experience in Iberia, Vitoria and Valladolid.
OSUNA, M.; SUAY, F.; FERNÁNDEZ, J, J.; GARZÓN, J, L.; VALIENTE, S. y RODRÍGUEZ, A. 1978 Valeria romana I. Arq. Conquense 3.
PALOMERO PLAZA, S. 1987. Las vías romanas en la provincia de Cuenca, Cuenca.
SÁNCHEZ LAFUENTE, J. 1985. Comercio de cerámicas romanas en Valeria. Cuenca
TORRECILLAS MOYA 2009. “El viario como factor de romanización: El ejemplo de Valeria», in E. Gozalbes Cravioto (ed,), La ciudad romana de Valeria (Cuenca), Cuenca, 125-145.
ALFOLDY, G. 1999. “Aspectos de la vida urbana en las ciudades de la Meseta Sur”, en L. González (ed.), Ciudades privilegiadas en el Occidente romano, Sevilla, 467-485.
ATIENZA, J. 2019. “El complejo termal monumental de la ciudad romana de Valeria: propuesta de reconstrucción virtual de sus ambientes fríos a la luz de los hallazgos arqueológicos”. Virtual Archaeology Review, 10(21): 116-131.
CURCHIN, L. A. 2004. The Romanization of Central Spain. Complexity, diversity and change in a provincial hinterland, London and New York.
DOMÍNGUEZ, S., MUÑOZ, M., & ATIENZA, J. 2019. “Las termas romanas de Valeria (Cuenca, España)”. Actas del I Congreso Internacional Termas Públicas de Hispania. Cartagena: Universidad de Murcia.
DURÁN MAÑAS, M. Y MOÑOZ GALLARTE, I. 2003. “La Valeria romana”. Revista de Arqueología, 290, 40-49.
FUENTES DOMÍNGUEZ, Á.1988. “La cronología del yacimiento hispano-romano de Valeria y su relación con otros análogos de la Meseta”, in I Congreso de Historia de Castilla-La Mancha, vol IV, Toledo, 211-223.
- 1991. “Urbanismo privado y casas en Valeria», in La casa urbana hispanorromana, Zaragoza, 265-280.
-2006. “Escenarios de la plena romanización en Castilla-La Mancha”, in idem (ed.), Castilla-La Mancha en época romana y antigüedad tardía, Ciudad Real, 97-132.
FUENTES DOMÍNGUEZ, Á. & ESCOBAR FERNÁNDEZ, R. 2004. “Intervenciones arqueológicas en el foro de Valeria (campañas 1997-2002», in A. Caballero Klink and J. L. Ruiz Rodríguez (eds.), Investigaciones arqueológicas en Castilla-La Mancha, 1996-2002, Toledo, 229-244.
FUENTES, A.; BARRIO. J.; ROSANGELA, M.; FAIETA, R.; DONATE. F. CARRETERO, Mª C. y NOGUERA, J. M. 2019. “Las esculturas de bronce del templo de culto imperial del Foro de la ciudad romana de Valeria, estudio arqueológico, análisis arqueométrico y restauración”. Yakka, n. 22. Revista de estudios yeclanos. Escultura romana en Hispania IX, J. M. Noguera, L. Ruiz Eds. 301-318.
GIMENO PASCUAL, H. 2008. “Paisajes epigráficos en el espacio romano de la comunidad de Castilla-La Mancha”, in G. Carrasco (ed.), La romanización en el territorio de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, 261-338.
GOZALBES CRAVIOTO, E. 2009. “La ciudad romana de Valeria (Cuenca)”, UCLM. Ciudad Real.
KNAPP, R. C. 1977. The Roman experience in Iberia, Vitoria and Valladolid.
OSUNA, M.; SUAY, F.; FERNÁNDEZ, J, J.; GARZÓN, J, L.; VALIENTE, S. y RODRÍGUEZ, A. 1978 Valeria romana I. Arq. Conquense 3.
PALOMERO PLAZA, S. 1987. Las vías romanas en la provincia de Cuenca, Cuenca.
SÁNCHEZ LAFUENTE, J. 1985. Comercio de cerámicas romanas en Valeria. Cuenca
TORRECILLAS MOYA 2009. “El viario como factor de romanización: El ejemplo de Valeria», in E. Gozalbes Cravioto (ed,), La ciudad romana de Valeria (Cuenca), Cuenca, 125-145.
accommodation
Valeria is a small municipality in the middle mountains of Cuenca with barely 80 inhabitants. Its urban area is structured around the Plaza Mayor, where we find the church, the Town Hall and some interesting mansions such as the house of the Curato and the house of the Dukes of Granada.
From the square you can see the Town Hall building, which dates from the 18th century, has a rectangular floor plan and two floors.
The church of Nuestra Señora de la Sey, which was the seat of the Visigoth bishopric, stands out among the buildings in Valeria. The Visigothic seat was probably built over an ancient Roman temple of which the Airón well was preserved, and later, in the 12th and 13th centuries, the Romanesque temple was built, with three naves and three apses, unique in the province. And in the 16th and 17th centuries it was modified again, obtaining its current appearance. On its walls we can see Roman columns and funerary stelae, Visigothic pieces, or its Mudejar roof.
Attached to the church on the north side are the sacristy and the Parish Museum. This museum is of great value for housing, among others, artistic treasures such as: Baroque canvases, a Mudejar coffered ceiling, Roman funerary stelae, construction elements of Visigothic origin and an altar front made of Talavera tiles. A museum has recently been installed in the site's old medieval church, with decorative construction pieces and epigraphs.
The team will be staying in two traditional guest houses in the little town. We will be able to enjoy not only our double rooms but the comon spaces like the dinning rooms, the kitchen and the patios with barbaque. They are the perfect space to rest and hang out with our new friends.
Meals: Breakfast will be provided at our accommodations, and we will all take turns setting it up along with the snak for the site. A fix menu will be cooked for lunch and dinner at a local restaurant.
From the square you can see the Town Hall building, which dates from the 18th century, has a rectangular floor plan and two floors.
The church of Nuestra Señora de la Sey, which was the seat of the Visigoth bishopric, stands out among the buildings in Valeria. The Visigothic seat was probably built over an ancient Roman temple of which the Airón well was preserved, and later, in the 12th and 13th centuries, the Romanesque temple was built, with three naves and three apses, unique in the province. And in the 16th and 17th centuries it was modified again, obtaining its current appearance. On its walls we can see Roman columns and funerary stelae, Visigothic pieces, or its Mudejar roof.
Attached to the church on the north side are the sacristy and the Parish Museum. This museum is of great value for housing, among others, artistic treasures such as: Baroque canvases, a Mudejar coffered ceiling, Roman funerary stelae, construction elements of Visigothic origin and an altar front made of Talavera tiles. A museum has recently been installed in the site's old medieval church, with decorative construction pieces and epigraphs.
The team will be staying in two traditional guest houses in the little town. We will be able to enjoy not only our double rooms but the comon spaces like the dinning rooms, the kitchen and the patios with barbaque. They are the perfect space to rest and hang out with our new friends.
Meals: Breakfast will be provided at our accommodations, and we will all take turns setting it up along with the snak for the site. A fix menu will be cooked for lunch and dinner at a local restaurant.
Daily Schedule
7am Breakfast
8-10,30am Excavation
10,30-11am Snack break
11.00am-1.30pm Excavation/Workshops/Laboratory
1,30-3pm Lunch
3-5pm Excavation
5-9pm Free time/seminars
9pm Dinner
7am Breakfast
8-10,30am Excavation
10,30-11am Snack break
11.00am-1.30pm Excavation/Workshops/Laboratory
1,30-3pm Lunch
3-5pm Excavation
5-9pm Free time/seminars
9pm Dinner
dates & fees
Program Dates 2023:
July 23-11 August Last place
Fee: US$ 2,550
Program Fees Include:
Full room and board
Fieldwork training
Excursions and other activities (except lunch on excursion days).
Transportation to and from airport on first and last days of the program (participants will be responsible for their transportation if arriving o leaving at a time no scheduled by ArchaeoSpain staff).
Daily transport to the site
Medical Insurance
Application fee
Administrative costs
Certificate of 120h
Part of your fee will go towards the research project.
Fees DO NOT include airfare.
July 23-11 August Last place
Fee: US$ 2,550
Program Fees Include:
Full room and board
Fieldwork training
Excursions and other activities (except lunch on excursion days).
Transportation to and from airport on first and last days of the program (participants will be responsible for their transportation if arriving o leaving at a time no scheduled by ArchaeoSpain staff).
Daily transport to the site
Medical Insurance
Application fee
Administrative costs
Certificate of 120h
Part of your fee will go towards the research project.
Fees DO NOT include airfare.
PAYMENT PROCESS:
To reserve a space, you must pay a $400 application fee. (Included in the price of the program).
The remainder of the program cost will be due by May 1st.
Application fees will be refunded if the applicant is not selected.
Application Deadline:
Rolling application. We accept applications until all spaces are filled.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
-Before April 1st: All payments, except for $80 from the application fee, are refundable.
-After Abril 1st: Application fee non-refundable. The remaining balance is refundable
After May 1st: All payments are non-refundable unless your application is rejected by the program director.
Travel Arrangements:
You should begin making travel arrangements as soon as you are notify of your selection, and you should complete them upon being notified of your selection. We strongly recommend that participants purchase travel insurance to cover all needs including medical, accident, baggage loss, delays and personal liability. ArchaeoSpain is not a travel provider nor is a registered travel agent. Your travel arrangements to and from Italy are subject to the terms and conditions of your travel agency. In the rare event that the program is cancelled, ArchaeoSpain will refund program fees, but is not responsible for non-refundable airline or other tickets or payments or any similar penalties that may be incurred. It is your responsibility to protect yourself against airline and travel agency cancellation fees.
To reserve a space, you must pay a $400 application fee. (Included in the price of the program).
The remainder of the program cost will be due by May 1st.
Application fees will be refunded if the applicant is not selected.
Application Deadline:
Rolling application. We accept applications until all spaces are filled.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
-Before April 1st: All payments, except for $80 from the application fee, are refundable.
-After Abril 1st: Application fee non-refundable. The remaining balance is refundable
After May 1st: All payments are non-refundable unless your application is rejected by the program director.
Travel Arrangements:
You should begin making travel arrangements as soon as you are notify of your selection, and you should complete them upon being notified of your selection. We strongly recommend that participants purchase travel insurance to cover all needs including medical, accident, baggage loss, delays and personal liability. ArchaeoSpain is not a travel provider nor is a registered travel agent. Your travel arrangements to and from Italy are subject to the terms and conditions of your travel agency. In the rare event that the program is cancelled, ArchaeoSpain will refund program fees, but is not responsible for non-refundable airline or other tickets or payments or any similar penalties that may be incurred. It is your responsibility to protect yourself against airline and travel agency cancellation fees.
Medical Insurance:
All ArchaeoSpain participants are covered with an insurance packet that provides medical and surgical treatment and prescription drugs in case of accident or sudden illness.
European students should bring an EHIC card with them.
Right of Refusal:
ArchaeoSpain reserves the right to refuse an applicant’s selection. This is a rare occurrence and is most likely due to a person’s inability to meet health requirements or in the interest of group compatibility. Once in the field, the program director and ArchaeoSpain reserve the right to send a participant away from the program should that person’s behavior compromise the safety, research objectives and general performance of the group, or violate the Spanish laws, regulations or customs.
the staff
SITE DIRECTORS
Dionisio Urbina
PhD from the University Complutense of Madrid. He has been a professional archaeologist since 1990 and has directed over fifty archaeological excavations: Medieval, Late Antique, Roman, Iron and Bronze Age. Specialist in the Roman world and the Second Iron Age in the center of the Iberian Peninsula, he has published several scientific articles and divulgative books, co-edited several conferences and exhibition catalogs, and several articles in scientific journals. Catalina Uquijo Álvarez de Toledo
She has been a professional archaeologist for over 25 years, has directed more than twenty archaeological excavations, from Bronze Age to Medieval times. She has taught numerous courses and archaeological exhibitions, and is the author of several books and numerous scientific articles. |
As part of one of Archaeospain's programs, you agree to respect the archaeological sites and monuments in accordance with the laws of each country, and to accept the code of ethics that does not allow taking photographs of the archaeological sites or of the discoveries made in them. The publication of photographs related to the sites and their findings, especially on social media, need always the prior approval of the directors of the archaeological sites.
excursions
Whole day excursions:
Toledo, declared World Heritage City, is a very unique place. It is known as the city of the three cultures: Muslim, Christian and Jewish. You will have the opportunity to visit some examples like the mosque of the Cristo de la Luz, the synagogue of The Tránsito or the Cathedral of Toledo. We’ll get lost in its narrow streets, have tapas at its terraces and we will also have time for some shopping.
Toledo, declared World Heritage City, is a very unique place. It is known as the city of the three cultures: Muslim, Christian and Jewish. You will have the opportunity to visit some examples like the mosque of the Cristo de la Luz, the synagogue of The Tránsito or the Cathedral of Toledo. We’ll get lost in its narrow streets, have tapas at its terraces and we will also have time for some shopping.

Valencia. 2000 years of history on the shores of the Mediterranean. We will visit the old town with its corners full of light and ancient monuments such as the cathedral, the silk market, the archaeological museum or the ruins of the Almoina. We will taste the most traditional paella and enjoy one of the most typical beaches in Spain.
Half day excursions:
Cuenca, Built by the Moors in a defensive position at the heart of the Caliphate of Cordoba, Cuenca is an unusually well-preserved medieval fortified city. Conquered by the Castilians in the 12th century, it became a royal town and bishopric endowed with important buildings, such as Spain's first Gothic cathedral, and the famous casas colgadas (hanging houses), suspended from sheer cliffs overlooking the Huécar river. Taking full advantage of its location, the city towers above the magnificent countryside. city. The old city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. The Romanesque-Gothic cathedral (13th century) is notable, and the city is the site of the Provincial Archaeological and Spanish Abstract Art museums.
Rio Gritos and Pico de la Muela site. The Gritos river gorge was the natural access road to Valeria from the south and SE. We will take a morning walk contemplating the rock cliffs of the canyon. At the end we will arrive at the foot of the Pico de la Muela peninsula, an Iron Age site prior to the Roman Valeria. In the afternoon we will enjoy the pool in Valera de Abajo. |