ARCHIVED - Spectacular Visigoth sarcophagus discovered in Mula Roman villa site

The Villaricos Roman villa site is fairly close to the former Visigoth city of Begastri in Cehegín

A research team led by University of Murcia professor Rafael González Fernández, professor of Ancient History, has discovered a spectacular sarcophagus dating from the Visigoth period at the site of the Roman necropolis of Los Villaricos, in Mula during this summer’s two week long archaeological campaign which only began on Monday. (click for further information about the Villaricos Roman villa site)

The sarcophagus is a two meter long piece with geometric decoration interspersed with ivy leaves.
In the position occupied by the head of the deceased is a crismón, framed by a border.

A crismón (Christogram or Chi Rho) is an anagram formed by the first two letters of the name of Christ in Greek –Χριστος–, ji (X) and ro (P). Although originally used by the Emperor Constantine as part of a military standard it later became part of the official imperial insignia, and has been found on many early Christian artworks, symbolising the vistory of the Resurrection over death.

It’s believed that the piece dates from the 6th century.

Rafael González has described this find on Thursday as “spectacular and unexpected”, corroborating previous studies on the chronology of the necropolis which was built next to the church after the abandonment of the town and villa in the 5th century.

The villa itself is a fine example of a wealthy Roman agricultural villa and contains well-preserved remains of substantial agricultural activity, complete with olive press and storage for the olive oil formerly produced on the site.

By the fourth century AD. The process of “romanising” the Iberian tribes who formerly occupied the territories taken by the Romans had been completed and the local population had been completely assimilated into Roman customs and practices, so as the Roman Empire gradually crumbled, the change was almost imperceptible for local people with regards to their daily lives, although the invasions which followed the collapse of the Roman Empire between the 5th and 7th centuries brought danger and uncertainty as waves of Germanic tribes swept into the former Roman territories, amongst them the Visigoths.

Roman structures were abandoned or re-purposed, and this was the case with this villa sometime between the 5th and 7th centuries when a small church was built on part of the former villa.

It appears that the oecus or triclinium, best described as a reception room, or the “best room” in a Roman villa, had been converted into a space for Christian worship, which would explain the presence of the burials next to this religious building in what we know as the necropolis ad sanctos.

The archaeological campaign this summer is focusing on three zones; the main necropolis of the site, which occupied the part of the implivium and rooms adjacent to the Roman house once it was amortized, a source that possibly supplied water to the village and an area dedicated to the production and storage of a yet unidentified agricultural product.

During excavation of the necropolis on Thursday, what looked like a sculptural element emerged and as it was cleaned it became apparent that it was in fact, a spectacular sarcophagus dating from the Visigoth occupation.

Nearby Cehegín was an important Visigoth Christian settlement (Bigastro), the site lying just outside the modern town of Cehegín.

In addition to Professor Rafael González, Francisco Fernández Matallana, a professional archaeologist, José Antonio Zapata Parra, a municipal archaeologist from Mula and José Javier Martínez García, a researcher hired by the CEPOAT of the University of Murcia, are also part of this project.

The works are being undertaken by graduates and students of the University of Murcia, financed by Mula municipal council, the Cajamurcia Foundation and supported by CEPOAT and the University of Murcia .
Images: UMU