Fiona Govan
Ancient Roman bath complex has been discovered beneath sand dunes on an Atlantic beach in the Cadiz province of southern Spain.
Archaeologists from the University of Cadiz (UCA) revealed their discovery of the well-preserved bath complex that dates from Roman times.
A team is currently excavating the site at the beach near Caños de Meca, a small seaside village to the east of Cape Trafalgar on Spain’s Costa de la Luz that is very popular with surfers.
“The structure is in an exceptional state of conservation for the Iberian Peninsula and, in general, in the Western Mediterranean”, explained Darío Bernal, professor of archeology at UCA.
The team have discovered walls almost four metres high with doors and windows intact, all part of a “sophisticated thermal complex which used air heated over coals to disperse through walls and under the floor,” Bernal said.
The complex would have used natural hot springs that have long since dried up.
Only two rooms have been excavated so far, with most of the site remaining untouched. Researchers at UCA said the site is estimated to spread over 2.5 acres.
Patricia del Pozo, Andalucia’s culture minister described the find as “wonderful” and an example of how the region was “an ??incredibly attractive area for all types of civilizations, which endows us with incredible history.”
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