The Inhabitants of 'Ákra Leuké, Lucentum and Laqant' Come to Life at the 21st Century Marq

"Abandoned, mistreated, and with debris." This is how the Provincial Council found the site - "between cement and apartments" - that comprises the Tossal de Manises archaeological site, a space that preceded the city of Alicante 2,500 years ago. Its remains and civilizations, those that appreciated the 'Cities of Light', are the focus of the new exhibition at the Provincial Archaeological Museum (Marq).

The antiquity of the cities 'Ákra Leuké, Lucentum, Laqant' will coexist from this December 20th until May 18th with artificial intelligence and new technologies at the Alicante museum. This tool has allowed the resurrection of the inhabitants of this land, to highlight the vestiges they left behind.

Comprising 616 pieces and objects, a hundred of them from 27 museums and institutions and three archives - whose material has never before been exhibited - it is the "largest" exhibition at Marq to date, in terms of the area installed in the museum, as explained by its director Manuel Olcina during the presentation of 'Cities of Light'.

It was this Thursday when the exhibition was presented at the National Archaeological Museum (MAN), with a delegation that also included the president of the Alicante Provincial Council, Toni Pérez, the manager of the Marq-CV Foundation, Josep Albert Cortés, and the curators Rafael Pérez, Eva Tendero, and Antonio Guilabert, along with other representatives of the Alicante museum and sponsors.

Olcina also highlighted that the exhibition will feature precious objects such as ceramic vases, coins - including the MAN's loan of Hispano-Carthaginian metallic - inscriptions, weapons, and carbonized organic remains among other sculptures. Additionally, the catalogue on these Tossal de Manises investigations has been updated - not revised since 1990 - through 47 authors who emphasize "the ancient history of Alicante".

The Marq is currently in the process of setting up 'Cities of Light. Ákra Leuké, Lucentum, Laqant. Ancient Alicante', and it will be during the next week - after the December holiday - when the 616 pieces and objects will be displayed for the thousands of visitors that the Provincial Council expects to visit the exhibition.

Its president Toni Pérez has focused on the educational role that the museum exudes, as it has "the obligation to protect in order to disseminate", especially works in which the provincial institution "has played a fundamental role" for more than 30 years. The Tossal de Manises is "an object of desire to care for, cherish, and respect" and, after that, "explore" to obtain a site where "science would be interested and could extract everything that now makes this exhibition possible".