The castellum at Tossal de la Cala in Benidorm continues to reveal details about daily life inside the fortress. Among the artifacts are a founding amphora and a collection of materials that help researchers piece together how the fortress functioned and what life looked like around its walls. In ongoing excavation phases, further finds keep emerging, with a standout piece being inscultura — a carved rock engraving dating back more than two millennia and connected to one of the residents of the Roman stronghold. This engraving offers a rare view into the visual language of the period and the people who lived near the fortress. [attribution]
Described as a “relief of outstanding historical significance,” the engraving measures 57 by 42 centimeters and shows three identifiable elements: a human face, a cornucopia, and a phallus. While striking, experts note the scene may be incomplete, with the upper right quadrant missing. This assessment comes from a University of Alicante professor and technical director of the excavations. [attribution]
Benidorm searches for new finds in Tossal’s Roman “castellum”
A member of the Historical and Cultural Heritage Council indicated that the discovery happened by chance at the end of January 2020 on the hill where the castellum sits, following a heavy rain event. The mayor stated that archaeologists immediately recognized the find as highly relevant due to its uniqueness. It was stressed that there are no parallel references to engravings and reliefs with a similar composition in areas once controlled by Rome, especially during the Republic when the Tossal castle was in use. [attribution]
The exceptional nature of the discovery and the priority of preservation have driven the City Council and the Tossal de la Cala technical team to handle the finding with great care, limiting access to only authorized institutions such as the General Directorate of Heritage of the Ministry of National Education, Culture and Sports. [attribution]
Castell and Benidorm’s Tossal, historical heritage awaiting BIC declaration
Since then, even through the pandemic, the focus has been on protecting inscultura while looking for ways to display it safely without detaching it from Tossal. A Museumization project, part of the Tourism Sustainability Plan Benidorm DTI + Seguro, focuses on preserving the engraving and ensuring its safe, accessible presentation. The work is nearing completion and is expected to unfold in the coming months. [attribution]
A new intervention on the castellum is underway, funded with just over 400,000 euros from European sources through the Benidorm DTI + Seguro Plan. The project opened three new areas and added complementary actions so that more elements of the site can be viewed without risking the ruins. [attribution]
The current phase of museumization, the fourth stage, aims to finalize the 2020 intervention, incorporate fresh findings, and build a complete interpretation of the castellum. The site is positioned as a scientific and academic reference for Roman times, with a focus on the Sertorian Wars for historical context. [attribution]