Almuñécar is set to host its 13th Archaeological Conference this weekend, October 17 and 18, integrating the annual gathering into the official celebrations for the 500th anniversary of the granting of the city’s coat of arms. Organized by the local municipality, the event brings together leading historians and archaeologists to explore the rich heritage of the Sexitano past.
The weekend kicks off on Saturday, October 17, at 10:00 AM with hands-on archaeology workshops held at the ancient Roman Aqueduct of La Carrera. The official inauguration takes place later that afternoon at 5:30 PM at the Casa de la Cultura Auditorium, led by Cultural Councillor Alberto García Gilabert, who highlighted the special significance of this year’s edition as an opportunity for residents and visitors alike to connect with the town’s five-century institutional legacy.
The academic lectures begin Saturday evening with Antonio Orihuela from the CSIC’s School of Arab Studies discussing San Miguel Castle at 6:00 PM, followed at 7:00 PM by University of Granada (UGR) Art History professor José Ignacio Barrera Maturana, who will present research on historical graffiti found at both San Miguel Castle and La Herradura’s Battery Fort.
On Sunday, October 18, discussions shift toward coastal defense and royal history. At 10:30 AM, UGR Modern History professor Antonio Jiménez Estrella will analyze the defense of the Kingdom of Granada’s coastline during the Moriscos era. Following at 11:30 AM, UGR Medieval History professor Luis Díaz de la Guardia López will delve into Almuñécar’s royal privileges and the origins of its municipal emblem.
Following the official closing ceremony at 12:30 PM, the conference concludes Sunday afternoon with guided tours at 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM of the exhibition “Manuscripts of Almuñécar: 500 Years of a Living City.” The exhibition forms part of the broader “Almuñécar, Light of an Empire” cultural program commemorating Emperor Charles V and five centuries of local history.
