A preventive archaeological excavation on a site located on Avenida Isidor Macabich has uncovered remarkably well-preserved Roman remains, including a wooden carving depicting the mythological hero Hercules.
The discovery was made during the construction of a new building with 60 public housing units being developed by Ibavi next to the courthouse square.
The excavation, which began on 14 July, is being led by archaeologists Glenda Graziani Echávarri and Juan José Marí Casanova, together with a team of three archaeologists and sixteen workers. The work is taking place at a depth of seven metres, following a complex process of land drainage required due to the presence of the water table at only 1.2 metres below the surface.
According to those responsible for the excavation, the fact that the site has been submerged for centuries has led to the exceptional preservation of organic materials such as wood, leather, seeds and plant remains.
In one of the excavated pits, a 30-centimetre carving of Hercules was found, along with a leather sole and several fragments of wood. The figure is currently at the laboratory of the Archaeological Museum of Ibiza and Formentera (MAEF), where restoration specialists are carrying out cleaning and stabilisation processes to ensure its preservation.
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