Some archaeologists, during the works. /
The remains are well preserved and date back to the 11th and 12th centuries
An Almoravid site from the late 11th and early 12th centuries has been discovered in Uclés (Cuenca) thanks to archaeological excavations undertaken by the University of Castilla-La Mancha and the Fernando Núñez Foundation. The project, called “Uclés, from Islamic Medina to Head of the Order of Santiago”, has brought to light a city “of extraordinary interest and almost unique at the national level”, according to the professors who have directed it.
The settlement has been located in the Cerro de la Defensa, also known as Cerro de la Virgen, and extends over nine hectares on the west side of the current population. What most strikes researchers is that it has not been altered by the presence of later cultures. In addition, a fortress has been documented crowning the elevation, formed by an internal enclosure, a perimeter wall and three flanking towers, and several Christian burials have been located in the highest part of the fortress that will now be studied.
A rectangular building from the same chronology has also been found in the north area of the fortification which, due to its orientation, could correspond to a mosque, something that will clarify future excavations. Likewise, fragments of crockery elements have been recovered, among which some ataifores stand out. On the other hand, metallic elements related to the military world have been found, such as a dagger or its tip, nails from tents, as well as some remains of arrowheads.
intact deposit
In the opinion of the archaeological team that has worked on this project, this Almoravid city is of enormous interest since it is one of the few sites with this chronology that remains intact in Spain. The city, which will be excavated again in December, seems to be related to a fortified military camp that could later give way to its own neighborhood where the Almoravids separated from the Andalusian population of Uclés once the infante Sancho conquered the place in 1108 after the famous battle in which the son of Alfonso VI died. Along with this city, more than twenty military sites related to this period have been documented in the Uclés area in the past.