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Date Published: 03/01/2024

Gladiator and animal pit uncovered at the Roman Amphitheatre of Cartagena

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Cartagena City Council plans to open this latest discovery to the public during the summer

Gladiator and animal pit uncovered at the Roman Amphitheatre of Cartagena

The ongoing excavations in the Roman Amphitheatre in Cartagena have uncovered a true treasure: the so-called bestial fossa or pit, where wild animals were penned before being released into the arena to fight. Competing gladiators would also wait in this area before meeting their fate in the ring.

So far, the first section of this historic structure has been carefully unearthed by scientists and it will form part of the official tour of the Roman site next summer.

The animal pit ran under the entire length of the amphitheatre and was hidden by wooden boards covered in sand. In this way, both the beasts and men could enter the arena as if from nowhere, increasing the theatricality of the events.

In the excavations, access stairs to the pit and traces of the spaces on which the planks were placed have been located, which offers a unique insight into the shows that were performed here 2,000 years ago.

With this new discovery, more than 30% of the Roman Amphitheatre has now been excavated and Cartagena mayor Noelia Arroyo assured that " the team of archaeologists, restorers and architects is working so that next summer visitors can also enjoy the experience , while the work continues” on site to uncover even more ancient treasures.

Archaeologists are now working on recreating a section of the stand's perimeter wall. In days gone by, the stands were protected by a wall between two and three metres high, topped by bars that prevented the animals from accessing the spectators.

Along the 25-metre stretch of wall, as many as 11 layers of paint have been discovered, which shows that the amphitheatre was in use for an extraordinary length of time.

For architect Andrés Cánovas, “not only is it an exclusively archaeological work, but it is an eminently cultural work, because it speaks of the diversity of periods, the diversity of architectural styles and the coexistence between all these styles throughout history."

In other news: Another 2.6 million invested in the Mar Menor for 2024

Images: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena

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