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Divers at the site of the Phoenician ship. Source: Jose A Moya / Regional Government of Murcia

Spanish Archaeologists Plot Remarkable Rescue of Ancient Phoenician Ship

A Phoenician trading vessel that sank off the coast of Spain around 2,500 years ago has been rendered in high-resolution 3D maps. As a precursor of plans to rescue the shipwreck, piece-by-piece, in...
Abandoned village of Granadilla in Spain. Source:  JIRMoronta / Adobe Stock.

Granadilla: The Spanish 'Ghost Town' That Should be Underwater (Video)

The picturesque town of Granadilla, located in Spain , carries a captivating tale of abandonment and longing. With its roots tracing back to the 9th Century AD, this medieval gem thrived for...
Correfoc, Mallorca. Source: Jordi / Adobe Stock.

Correfoc: The “Demonic” Tradition of Mallorca (Video)

On the Spanish island of Mallorca, an ancient tradition known as 'correfoc' has been captivating locals and visitors alike for decades. This unique festival , rooted in medieval street theatre and...
Visigoths. Source: Warrenpeace21 / Adobe Stock.

The Murder Hunt that Unearthed a Long-Lost Visigoth Settlement (Video)

In a twist of fate, a murder hunt led to the remarkable discovery of a long-lost settlement. Lourdes and Rosario Malón, victims of General Franco's brutal regime in 1936, were the focus of Mariano's...
Alhambra Fortress. Source: pillerss / Adobe Stock.

The Hidden World Beneath Alhambra Fortress (Video)

Beneath the majestic Alhambra fortress , a hidden world lies waiting to be discovered. This ancient monument, attracting millions of visitors each year, unveils more than meets the eye. While many...
The discovery of remnants of an ancient Roman perfume in a tomb in Spain could be the first time a perfume from Roman times has been identified. Source: sderbane / Adobe Stock

The Scent of Patchouli Perfume Filled the Air in the Roman Empire

After analyzing chemical traces found in a small vessel recovered from an ancient Roman site in the city of Carmona, Spain, a team of researchers from the University of Cordoba has identified...
The suit of armor found at Castillo de Matilla, Spain. Source: Municipality of Matilla de los Caños del Río.

Full Suit of Armor Discovered in Spanish Castle Excavation

Unfolding a piece of history straight out of the chivalric tales, a team of archaeologists hit the jackpot in the heart of Spain. They uncovered a complete 16th-century suit of armor , lost in the...
Roman Carvings of a Smiley Face and a Phallus Found in Spain

Roman Carvings of a Smiley Face and a Phallus Found in Spain

Archaeologists in Spain were exploring an ancient Roman fort when they discovered a carved smiley-face, a basket of fruits and a phallus . For answers as to what this carving means, we must delve...
Were ancient humans hanging out by the fire pits like people do today?         Source: Viks_jin/Adobe Stock

People Were Hanging Out by Fire Pits 250,000 Years Ago

Until now, the use of controlled fires for cooking, in Europe, was thought to have begun around 200,000 years ago. However, scientists in Spain have discovered a set of small prehistoric fire pits or...
The Piedras Blancas tomb with La Peña de los Enamorados behind it. Source: M. Ángel Blanco de la Rubia / Antiquity Publications Ltd

5,000-Year-Old Astro-Tomb Discovered On Spanish Giant

As archaeologists in Spain were researching a rock formation known as the Sleeping Giant, they noticed something curious. From a distance, they identified a feature on the giant’s chest, which turned...
Anthropomorphic reliefs excavated from the remains of the ancient Tartessian culture. Source: Samuel Sánchez/ Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.

2,500-Year-Old Tartessian Anthropomorphic Reliefs Revolutionize Thinking on Ancient Culture

The Tartessian site of Casas del Turuñuelo in Spanish Extremadura , has been under excavation to examine the mythical pre-Roman civilization that occupied southwest Iberia between the 8th and 4th...
Bust of Fransisco de Orellana (Ricardo Algár/Adobe Stock) Amazon rainforest (William Perez/Adobe Stock)

Francisco Orellana’s Accidental Discovery Of The Amazon

Among the daring exploits of those early Spanish conquistadors intent on claiming the New World for their own, none are as dramatic as Francisco Orellana’s perilous nine month journey to the Amazon...
Artist’s impression of the dyeing scene in the funerary chamber.         Source: Oriol Garcia i Quera, ASOME-Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona/Nature

Island Near Spain Reveals Evidence of Hallucinogenic Use in 1,000 BC

A new study has produced evidence that ancient peoples living on a Mediterranean island off the coast Spain nearly 3,000 years ago were regularly consuming hallucinogenic drugs obtained from plants...
The panel of prehistoric engravings found in Cova de la Vila, Catalonia, Spain. Source: Arnau Pascual Monells / Departament de Cultura

“Exceptional” Prehistoric Engravings Found in Lost Spanish Cave

Lost for over 50 years, a Spanish cave has revealed over 100 "exceptional" prehistoric artworks that have astonished archaeologists. The Cova de la Vila cave, located in the Tarragona province of...
The Moors left behind a legacy of culture and architecture, such as the Alhambra palace complex in Granada, Spain. Source: lunamarina / Adobe Stock

15 Facts About the Moors You've Probably Never Heard

The Moors left a significant mark on medieval Europe, especially with their conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD. They ruled over Spain for several centuries, transforming it culturally,...
The Escolania boys choir performing in the Abbey of Montserrat, Catalonia, Spain. Source: Jean Robert Thibault / CC BY-SA 2.0

After 700 Years, Monastery Choir “Boys Only” Rule is Broken

In yet another instance of the dissolution of gender barriers, girls are all set to storm one of the surviving bastions of male exclusivity: the all-boys Escolania choir, based at the Benedictine...
Newport Castle with ships by J. M. W. Turner (1796) (Public Domain)

The Newport Medieval Trading Ship Revival

One of the most remarkable maritime archaeological discoveries of the 21st century was the discovery of the ghostly timbers of a medieval ship, embedded in the mud, when renovations of an arts centre...
Inside the rare 14th century Spanish synagogue. Source: Utrera city hall

Stunning Discovery of a Rare Medieval Spanish Synagogue Under Disco Pub

Over the centuries, this versatile building has been transformed from a holy temple to a hospital, home for abandoned children, a bustling restaurant, and even a lively disco-pub. But that's not all...
Top image: The sanctuary in the Villa del Mitra, Cabra, Spain. Credit: el Dia de Cordoba

1,800-Year-Old Sanctuary Dedicated to God Mithras Found in Spain

The remains of a sanctuary dedicated to the god Mithras , along with leftovers from ritual banquets, have been found during excavations at the Villa del Mitra in Cabra, Spain . According to Heritage...
Martyr of Fanaticism by José de Brito depicts a young woman being tortured during the Spanish Inquisition. Source: Public domain

The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth Behind the Black Legend (Part II)

One of the most controversial organizations in history, the Spanish Inquisition has been poorly understood by the general public. This period of religious persecution, which took place between 1478...
Auto de Fe in the Plaza Mayor, an oil painting from 1683 by Francisco Rizi. The painting depicts the ritual public penance carried out by heretics and apostates during the Spanish Inquisition. Source: Public domain

The Spanish Inquisition: The Truth behind the Dark Legend (Part I)

One of the most controversial organizations in history, the Spanish Inquisition has been poorly understood by the general public. This period of religious persecution, which took place between 1478...
Northeastern view of the remains at Castro Valente, where the medieval fortress has been uncovered thanks to LiDAR technology. Source: Fernàndez-Pereiro & Sánchez-Pardo / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

LiDAR Reveals Medieval Fortress in Spain, Rewriting History

An ancient 25-acre (10-hectare) fortified settlement found on a hilltop in Galicia was long ago identified as an Iron Age village, meaning it was dated to the period between 1,500 and 500 BC. But a...
Archaeologists found a selection of animal skulls at the Neanderthal cave in Spain, including this bison skull. Source: Nature Human Behaviour / CC BY 4.0

Neanderthals Filled This Spanish Cave with Animal Skulls. But Why?

As the data continues to accumulate, it becomes more and more clear that Neanderthals were highly intelligent hominins who built their own unique and remarkable culture. Some of the latest...
Composite image depicting the similitude between a replica of the Valencian slate owl plaque with inserted feathers (on the left) and the long-eared owl species which may have inspired numerous engraved owl plaques (on the right). Source: Juan J. Negro / CC BY 4.0

Enigmatic Copper Age Owl Plaques Were Made by Children, Study Claims

Decades of excavations in ancient burial pits in the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal) have unearthed more than 4,000 palm-sized slate owl plaques engraved with geometric images of...

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