Castellón Province Unearths Rich History in Landmark 2025 Archaeological Campaign
The Castellón Provincial Council has reaffirmed its dedication to preserving, studying, and sharing the region’s extensive past, with a highly successful 2025 archaeological campaign yielding significant discoveries across multiple key sites.
The provincial institution views the year’s work as a resounding success, achieving planned objectives and deepening understanding of the area’s historical roots. “The province of Castellón has an enormous heritage and hence the commitment of the Provincial Council to promote and safeguard the archaeological heritage, ensuring the conservation and protection of these cultural assets,” stated President Marta Barrachina.
The 2025 campaign, executed in collaboration with experts, local archaeologists, and communities, focused on “unearthing the roots of our history,” according to a provincial leader. Investigations spanned millennia, from prehistoric settlements to medieval fortifications, revealing new insights into the diverse cultures that have shaped the region.
Uncovering Iberian and Iron Age Life
The year began with continued excavations at Castillejo de Benafer, an Iberian-period town where the Archeology Service has worked systematically since 2018. Archaeologists highlighted the discovery of a tower and sophisticated defensive system, offering clues to the settlement’s structure and strategic importance.
Further investigations were conducted at the Pedrafita site in Benlloc, an Iron Age town enclosed by walls. The second campaign at Pedrafita has revealed promising signs of future discoveries, suggesting a wealth of artifacts remain to be uncovered.
Delving into Prehistoric Castellón
June saw a second campaign at Cova Fonda de Llucena, a collaborative effort with the Universitat Jaume I and the local municipality. This research focused on understanding the lives of hunter-gatherers and early farmers who inhabited the cave over 7,000 years ago, providing a glimpse into the region’s earliest inhabitants.
In July, work continued at Cova de la Crebada, within the Cova dels Aragonesos area in Atzeneta. Initially identified as a Bronze Age burial cave, the site’s timeline has been extended to include evidence of Neolithic occupation dating back over 5,500 years. “The environment, furthermore, continues to offer new data for the knowledge of these prehistoric communities, which is why research continues to expand and bring surprises,” explained the deputy for Culture and Archeology, Alejandro Clausell.
Bronze Age Villages and Andalusian Forts
August marked the start of a new campaign at Tossal de la Vila, a long-term project initiated in 2012. This site showcases two distinct phases of occupation: a Late Bronze Age village dating back 2,800 years, and a later Andalusian fort constructed between the 8th and 10th centuries. The fort’s mosque, believed to be the oldest in the rural area of Xarq al Andalus, is a particularly significant find. Continued excavations, supported by a municipal subsidy, focused on consolidating the mosque and surrounding walls.
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Expanding Knowledge of the Bronze and Paleo-Andalusian Periods
In September, archaeologists turned their attention to the Iron Age town and necropolis of Cabañiles in Zucaina, focusing on identifying a previously unknown phase corresponding to the final Bronze Age.
October saw investigations at Carapito de l’Alcora, a Paleo-Andalusian ceramic production area. The Archeology Service searched for ceramic kilns and analyzed the characteristics of the pottery produced at the site.
Ongoing Analysis and Dissemination of Findings
As 2025 drew to a close, the Archeology Service processed the data collected throughout the year, continuing analysis of materials and dating of sites from previous campaigns, including Cova de la Peña III in Eslida, Cova dels Diablets in Alcalà de Xivert, and Puig de la Misericòrdia in Vinaròs.
Efforts to share these discoveries with the public are also underway. An exhibition showcasing findings from the Calvario de Montán site has been held, and talks and guided tours of select sites are being planned. A new volume of the journal Quaderns de Prehistòria i Arqueologia de Castelló is slated for publication in early 2026.
The deputy responsible for the area emphasized that the Archeology Service’s work demonstrates its continued vitality as it celebrates 50 years of operation, maintaining “intense activity in the study and dissemination of our most distant past.” The Deputy for Culture underscored the Provincial Government’s commitment to “the protection and conservation of the valuable archaeological heritage of the territory,” adding that the council will “continue working on the recovery of part of the history of our land.”
