The Cova de l'Or Archaeological Site in Beniarrés Reopens with Guided Tours

The archaeological site of the Cova de l'Or in Beniarrés will reopen its doors this Saturday, 15th March, with the return of guided tours following the summer season. The CV Marq Foundation and the local council offer four tours, requiring prior registration, on Saturdays and Sundays, with departures at 9:00 and 11:30 a.m., until 13th July.

The first part of the tour includes a visit to the museum and a video presentation to contextualise the space and surroundings of the Cova de l'Or in Beniarrés. Afterwards, the itinerary continues by vehicle to the start of the trail leading to the site.

After a short walk through the flora and fauna of the Benicadell Valley, visitors enter the cave, where they receive a detailed explanation of the way of life, customs, and traditions of the inhabitants who lived there over 7,000 years ago.

At the Cova de l'Or, material elements have been found that testify to the importance of occupation during the Early Neolithic (5500-5000 BC), when the site was an ideal place for habitation.

The quality and significance of the archaeological material found in excavations since the 1930s suggest that the cavity would have been a social reference point for Mediterranean-origin settlers who, in the mid-6th millennium BC, introduced agriculture and livestock to these valleys.

Those interested in this proposal can book their tickets or find more information through the website www.marqalicante.com. Additionally, the Interpretation Centre's visiting hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Elevated at 675 metres above sea level, the Cova de l'Or houses an archaeological site of great importance for the knowledge and research of the Neolithic period on the Mediterranean façade of the Iberian Peninsula.

From this historical period come the accumulations of wheat and barley seeds, typical of ancient crops, found inside, as well as ceramics impressed with shells, notably those featuring human figures with raised arms, alone in a praying position or in groups evoking a dance.

The symbolism of this pottery is defined within the movable aspect of Macro-schematic Art, linking the cavity with the Rock Art sanctuaries of that chronology, such as La Sarga in Alcoy or Pla de Petracos in Castell de Castells, with the Cova de l'Or possibly participating in some type of ritual cycle linked to these meeting and gathering places.

"The Cova de l'Or is an internationally renowned Neolithic archaeological site that has been transformed into a Site Museum by the Alicante Provincial Council, through the areas of Architecture and Culture, with the aim of protecting, disseminating, and preserving its high historical value," stated the Deputy for Culture, Juan de Dios Navarro.