The Enrique Escudero de Castro archaeological museum in Cartagena
Museo Arqueológico Municipal Enrique Escudero de Castro in Cartagena
The archaeological museum of Cartagena is a fascinating place to visit in itself, having been built around the archaeological site of a burial necropolis which was in use for approximately 400 years from the 3rd to the 7th century, during the very latest phase of Roman occupation. This was the tumultuous period in which the mighty Empire crumbled and the area was gradually occupied by Goths, Visigoths and Byzantines.
The burial ground occupied an area of 700 square metres and occupied the western bank of an ancient lagoon which constituted the northern boundary of the city, but which has now disappeared. As a burial place it reflects the huge change in religious practices at the time of its use, and many of the burials are those of early Christians in the area, possibly fleeing from the Vandals in northern Africa.
Some simple graves were dug directly into the earth, there are infant burials in ceramic amphorae, and flat barrow burials. These were frequently made with stones and covered with mortar, sometimes with a small table like structure in the centre: a tantalising echo of the pagan custom of holding a funeral banquet for the dead, a practice which was banned in 572 AD. This helps the dating of the remains.
There are also remains of "family vaults" on the site, the forebears of the cemeteries that occupy Spain today.
The museum is an excellent place to start a history trail and try to understand the sequence of historical events in the city and the surrounding area: click here for a more complete history of Cartagena.
In terms of pre-history, within the boundaries of Cartagena is the Cueva Victoria in Llano del Beal, which contains some of the earliest known pre-human remains, at 1.3 million years old. The exhibits follow the path of the past, beginning with tools from local settlements such as the Neolithic ones around Cabo de Palos, Neanderthal remains found in the bay of Cartagena and the Paleolitic site of San Ginés de la Jara.
These are followed by the Bronze Age and traces of the Phoenicians, who traded throughout the Mediterranean basin and brought the potter's wheel, prosperity and the skills of metallurgy. Then the focus shifts to the Iberian tribes with whom they traded, a people who gradually lost their own identity following the invasion of the Romans, adopting Roman customs and practices until they disappeared altogether as a distinct culture.
A settlement in Los Nietos on the shores of the Mar Menor has yielded some superb pieces, a number of which are on show at the museum, including rare pieces of weaponry in remarkable condition and Greek trade ceramics, showing a high level of prosperity.
These civilisations were followed by the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Vizigoths and Byzantines, then the Moors and finally the Christians. Such has been the turbulent past of what is now known as Cartagena, and there are helpful reminders of the order in which these cultural influences came!
Each race left its mark and artifacts through 3,000 years of history, and the museum houses collections from all races and periods with interesting sections dedicated .to important local activities such as mining.
Most of the information panels are only in Spanish but the general idea can be gleaned from the drawings which show the processes involved in mining, how it was done, the methods employed, the tools, and the products and how they were processed. One case holds esparto baskets and Roman tools discovered in the Roman mines, and ingots of lead, each bearing the maker's stamp from around 2,000 years ago.
Other displays demonstrate the importance of ceramics, vast quantities of which have been reclaimed from shipwrecks around the area, including the famous Phoenician boats of Mazarron. Panels show various uses of different types of ceramic and how they were designed to be loaded into the boats with maximum space efficiency to transport wines and fish sauce throughout the Roman Empire.
Other noteworthy exhibits include a vast selection of Roman funerary stonework and Roman sculptures and artifacts.
The museum also has upstairs exhibition space and conference facilities from which free seminars are run, as well as a childrens activities area with educational games.
In addition to the permanent exhibitions, the museum hosts travelling exhibitions and occasional concerts and theatrical representations. These are generally free of charge.
Admission is free of charge and this is a throuoghly recommended start to learning about the general history of Cartagena. Money can be spent instead on paid entry location and a morning of sightseeing, followed by coffee or tapas!
Location: Calle Ramon y Cajal, 45. This is close to the El Corte Inglés store but is a fair walk away from the other main tourist attractions of the city.
Opening Times:
Tuesday-Friday 10.00 to 14.00 and 17.00 to 20.00
Weekends 11.00 to 14.00
Closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Telephone: 968 128968
Disability Access
Access. There is a tiny step at the front door, but once inside, the aisles are wide and spacious with plenty of room for wheelchairs. Those with limited mobility ought to experience few problems here.
