UA archaeologists uncover a Roman villa in Altea
The archaeology department at the Institut Valencià de Conservació i Restauració (IVCR+i), linked to the First Vice Presidency and the Department of Culture and Sports, is engaged in the restoration and faunal study of a rock shelter and its bone assemblage from the Casas de Campo villa site in Villena. The discovery includes a notable set of nine unicorn skulls that have captured scholarly attention and public curiosity alike.
These ruins came to light during excavations led by the Villena City Council’s archaeology team, with support from Culture that enabled a broader exploration of the settlement in the Partida del Campo area, within the Villena-Caudete depression, on the southern edge of the Via Augusta corridor. The project underscores the rich layers of rural life in this region and the enduring importance of regional archaeology for understanding Roman-era landscapes.
3D scanning advances preservation at the villa
IVCR+i oversees the careful preservation and restoration of recovered materials to preserve their scientific value and ensure future access. The work has incorporated high-resolution 3D scanning to document the bone complex comprehensively. This technology serves two primary purposes: protecting the integrity of fragile remains and enabling researchers to analyze the material without repeated handling. By reducing physical manipulation, the team supports long-term preservation while accelerating potential discoveries through accessible digital models.
Exploring a Roman villa’s past and its symbolic practices
Across the villa’s campaigns, several areas have been identified, including a balneum or bath complex and a dated well, with activity spanning from the late Republican period into late antiquity. A well-preserved house chamber from the 6th century and a tomb containing equid remains offer a window into daily life, social structure, and funerary customs. The horse, in Roman times, fulfilled multiple roles—transport, warfare, and a visible mark of status—while also appearing in sacrifice rituals tied to funerary rites and public festivities. Classical sources and fossil records corroborate these roles, illustrating the animal’s significance within ritual and social hierarchies of the era.
The path forward: combining archaeology and zoozoology
Following the bone restoration, archaeozoological analyses will help determine causes of death for this group of equids. The investigation will connect the remains to broader funerary and ritual contexts at Casas de Campo, deepening understanding of how tools, offerings, and symbolic acts were integrated into daily and ceremonial life at the villa. These insights promise to illuminate aspects of Roman social practice and material culture that shaped the Villena settlement’s distinctive landscape.
Upcoming presentations and discussions will broaden knowledge sharing about bone preservation and restoration. Findings are expected to contribute to ongoing conversations on how best to interpret animal remains within Roman-era domestic and ceremonial settings, offering researchers new angles on age, health, and ritual significance. The work will be highlighted at scholarly meetings focusing on bone preservation and restoration, with opportunities to share methods and discoveries with a wider audience while respecting the integrity and context of the material.