Vila Joiosa’s Roman Villa and the 19th-Century Industrial Quarter
An industrial zone and an ancient aqueduct from the 19th century mark a key discovery emerging from ongoing work around the Roman villa plans. The exploration of Vila Joiosa’s historical landscape reveals ruins that shed light on the broader story of this villa and its surrounding community, offering essential data about life in the period and how the villa fit into the larger settlement.
Dating tests have identified multiple dumps and pits carved into the geological terrain, filled with plots that yield high concentrations of finds, especially ceramics. These deposits place researchers in the late Roman period. To date, several structures with three to six rooms from the Roman era have been uncovered and await more detailed dating. Local authorities indicate that these finds include Roman water-related structures that will undergo further excavation and dating to confirm their waterproof features.
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Among the water works is a north–south aqueduct stretching roughly 25 meters, preserving an inner width that in some sections may be about 29 centimeters, close to a Roman foot. The conduit splits toward its midpoint, with a branch turning east while the main line runs toward a small cistern. This aqueduct and its branches likely supplied water for private baths, household use, and local industries linked to the Plans Roman villa, one of the most important and enduring archaeological sites in Vila Joiosa, with a timeline spanning about 15 centuries of occupation. The site is notable as the only coastal area from the Islamic era known in Vila Joiosa’s district.
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“The archaeological remains and recovered artifacts will yield pivotal data about this period and the activities around the Roman villa. They will illuminate the buildings and daily life of the residents who inhabited our city during the Roman era,” stated Vila Joiosa’s mayor during a tour of the excavations. The visit was attended by officials responsible for Historical Heritage and Urbanism, along with the archaeologists of the municipal Archaeological and Historical Heritage Service. The excavation team and site staff also participated in the event.
A Roman villa found in 1997
The Plans villa sits on a small rise near National Route 332. Discovered in 1997, the project opened roughly 500 square meters for excavation, revealing the villa complex from late Roman times. The V–VI AD phase includes an industrial area that may be connected to the fish-salting trade, plus warehouses and a residential zone adorned with murals and private baths. The region shows evidence of occupation from the late Roman period through Islamic times, with historical layers extending to earlier centuries. An 1854 cholera epidemic cemetery is part of the broader historical narrative of the site.
As part of the development plan under Executive Unit 2 within the ARE-1/3 urban framework, the Litoral Mediterráneo 2 urban development agency commissioned Arquealia en Expansion to excavate the perimeter of this substantial Roman residential villa. The central hub of the site will become the municipal Cultural Dotacional area for future systematic digs.
Attribution: Archaeology records and city heritage reports provide the basis for these interpretations. (Citation: Vila Joiosa municipal archives.)