Sa Caleta Phoenician Settlement

Coordinates: 38°52′04″N 1°19′47″E / 38.86778°N 1.32972°E / 38.86778; 1.32972
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Sa Caleta
Ibiza Town, Ibiza
RegionIbiza
Coordinates38°52′04″N 1°19′47″E / 38.867778°N 1.329722°E / 38.867778; 1.329722
TypeSettlement
History
Foundedc. 654–650 BC
Abandonedc. 604–600 BC
Site notes
ConditionRuins
ManagementConsell d’Eivissa
Public accessLimited

Sa Caleta is an archaeological site featuring the ruins of an ancient

Ibiza Town in Spain's Balearic Islands. The Phoenicians established a foothold in this area around 654–650 BC, and the site was abandoned by 600 BC.[1] The discovery of the foundations of simple stone buildings at this site led to Sa Caleta being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.[1]

History and location

The

hectares
.

Economic activities

A factor in the choice of the location was its proximity to the natural salt marshes of the island.[1] The Phoenicians exploited this valuable natural commodity. The shallow pools of seawater within the marsh evaporated under the hot summer sun enjoyed by the island, leaving a gleaming crust of salt crystals. The Phoenicians collected these deposits and so began the first commercial enterprise of the island. The settlers also engaged in other activities which included fishing, baking, weaving and metalworking,[1] all of which was used to trade to supplement the meager local produce of the island.

Visiting

Sa Caleta is located on the southwest coast of the island of

Ibiza Town.[2]

The site is preserved behind tall iron railings behind which are the restored and preserved footings of several dwellings.

Mediterranean, and is not dissimilar to the layout of the traditional house built on Ibiza until recent times. The excavations on the central area near the top of the headland revealed an orderly arrangement of building in the form of a terrace, although this area has not been conserved for public viewing.[1] The site would have been larger, but many of the buildings to south have been lost to coastal erosion. To the North of the site much of the archaeology was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War[1] when concrete gun emplacements, tunnel and huts were constructed on the headland as part of the islands elaborate defense system set up to guard against any Republican attack during mid 1937.[3] This construction was built with no regard for the delicate archeology in the area. The small cove on the east side of Sa Caleta was once the busy natural harbor[2]
of the Phoenician settlers. It is still used today by a few local fishing boats and the occasional pleasure craft.

References

  1. ^
  2. ^
  3. ^ "Live Ibiza". The Spanish Civil War in the Pitiuses – Part Eleven – Section:The Militarization of island life. LIVEIBIZA 1982-2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.

38°52′04″N 1°19′47″E / 38.86778°N 1.32972°E / 38.86778; 1.32972