DIGGING THE ORIGINS OF SURIA WITH VOLUNTEERS
Channel: European Association of Archaeologists
Date: 26/12/2020

Súria is a small village in the center of Catalonia, which started in 2005 a pioneer project in the area. The town hall in collaboration with the High School, designed a summer camp with students between 12 to 16 years old, led by a professional archaeologist. The first season was a success and it has continued uninterruptedly until today. The activity take place in the Guixeres site, which is formed by different settlements, among which stand out the Vilella Vella farmhouse, Sant Pere del Puig church, and the Domus de Torre tower, all of them dated in medieval times. From the beginning, the goal has been to recover and study the sites, but also approach the archaeology to the students. They can learn the archaeological methodology and feel that they are part of the recovery process of historical data in their municipality. However, it is a village project, the landowners allow the digging, a women association makes every day breakfast, a retired men group help in the excavation tasks and local companies offers different facilities. Every year we manage to have a dig team with more than 30 people. The results have also helped to continue the project, has been confirmed that the area was the first inhabited place in the municipality and around the XIII century, the population moved progressively to the place where the village is currently placed. The project have manage to raise awareness of the site and bring it closer to its inhabitants. In a long term, the plan is made visible and establish a guided cultural and tourist route explaining the area. Many people of the village could say that they contributed to put in value the origin of their village.


Author(s): Belmonte, Cristina (iPAT Serveis Culturals)