.JPG) Ruins of the Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta | |
  Sa Caleta Shown within Spain | |
| Location | 10 km (6.2 mi) fromIbiza Town,Ibiza |
|---|---|
| Region | Ibiza |
| Coordinates | 38°52′01″N1°20′05″E / 38.866932°N 1.334834°E /38.866932; 1.334834 |
| Type | Settlement |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 654–650 BC |
| Abandoned | c. 604–600 BC |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Management | Consell d’Eivissa |
| Public access | Limited |
Sa Caleta is anarchaeological site featuring the ruins of an ancientPhoenician settlement on a rocky headland about 10 kilometers west ofIbiza Town inSpain'sBalearic 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 aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 1999.[1]
ThePhoenicians began arriving on the island ofIbiza around 650 BC, and constructed this settlement on the rocky headland at Sa Caleta.[2] This large Phoenician settlement was uncovered by archaeologists during the 1980s and 1990s under the auspices of the Consell Insular d’Eivissa i Formentera. The site was declared aWorld Heritage Site in December 1999. It consists of an urban area with streets and a small square, conventionally referred to as ‘neighbourhoods’. The Phoenicians who first settled here had arrived from theIberian coast and settled here progressively until all the usable space on this headland had become a veritableurban center and once covered a surface area of fourhectares.
A factor in the choice of the location was its proximity to the naturalsalt 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.
Sa Caleta is located on the southwest coast of the island ofIbiza, about 10 kilometers fromIbiza Town.[2]
The site is preserved behind tall iron railings behind which are the restored and preserved footings of several dwellings.[1] The remains have been designated the ‘southern quarter’ of the settlement by the archaeologists who have excavated the site. Most of the buildings, of which there are half a dozen, are grouped around narrow streets and courtyards.[1] The main construction of these buildings would have been built from stone and mud-brick with flat clay roofs supported on timber rafters.[1] Most of the buildings consisted of just one room and were a combination of living space, workshops and store rooms. There is one building in the centre of the site which has multiple rooms and may have been a structure of some importance in its day.[1] The plan of this house is comparable to other Phoenician dwellings excavated in other parts of theMediterranean, 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 tocoastal erosion. To the North of the site much of the archaeology was destroyed during theSpanish 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 anyRepublican 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.
38°52′04″N1°19′47″E / 38.86778°N 1.32972°E /38.86778; 1.32972
