UNIR abre registro para la nueva edición de campos experimentales de arqueología en La Rioja

The vice-chancellor of teachers and cultural action of United, Teresa Santa María, the archaeologist and teacher in the degrees of art and history and geography of UNIR, Inmaculate Dege, and the mayors of Arno and Calahorra, Rosa María Herce and Mónica Arciiz, respectively, presented on Wednesday a new edition of the Day of the Experience of the Experimentation of the Ark of Experimentation of the Ark. Rioja 2025 at the deposits of the clinic in Calahorra and the necropolis of the High Middle Ages of Cerro de San Miguel in Arno.

This educational and scientific initiative, led by a team of archaeologists trained by David Farell, Inmaculate delegations, M.ª Ascion Antoñanza, and José Manuel Martínz Torrecilla, is aimed at both members of the educational community, to unite and for all young people over 18 years old, as well as for La Rioja, as well as for other communities.

The activity combines morning excavations in the Roman city of the clinic (Calahorra) and the necropolis of San Miguel Cerro (Arno) with training workshops and cultural visits afterwards. In addition, and as a novelty of this fourth edition, participants will enjoy personal discussions with Miguel Fernández Díaz, Victoria Peña Romo, María Pilar Sáenz Preaca, and J. Carlos Sáenz Preaca.

Participation takes into account three ways: full day, with full board accommodation and access to all activities; Part-time, including excavations and maintenance workshops; And a local volunteering option, focused on those living in Arno and Calahorra, which only includes participation in morning excavations and is reserved for special requests.

The number of places is limited to 25, with a rate of 10 in Calahorra and 15 in Arnedo, and registration can be formalized from today until May 9 through the Unida website.

For the vice, the hassle of the Union «is a pride in the launch of this initiative that was born four years ago, with the aim of contributing to the dissemination of historical heritage, archaeological training, and collaboration between the university and which has now become an undisputed appointment on the archaeological calendar of the region.»

He recalled that the areas are classified within the cultural passport, an initiative aimed at preparing students by recognizing up to 3 optional credits in their official degree studies, provided they participate in all activities and receive a favorable report from the program leaders.

For his part, the archaeologist, professor at the Faculty of Education and Humanities of United and Co-Director of the Fields, Inmaculado, encouraged lovers of this science to experience this initiative to combine excavations at a real site and under the direction of experienced archaeologists in the field with the current content of this field, as well as a cultural activity.

At this point, he emphasized that results have already been obtained, such as the appearance in the deposit of Calahorra of the «funerals of Altomieval» and also that «under Roman levels we are starting to find previously direct levels, which we want to focus on this year»; While in Arno, already in the first edition last year, «we found six high tombs.»

As in previous editions, and to bring new discoveries and history to the local population, on Wednesday, July 16, and Thursday, July 17, open days will take place in Arno and Calahorra, respectively.

The Mayor of Arnedo, Rosa Herce, thanked United and the Fields of Experimental Archaeology for the second consecutive year, a collaboration that, as happened last year, will continue to value the Miguel Hill as a point of archaeological steps aimed at the creation of an archaeological park in this area that combines resources such as the High Medieval necropolis, the cave of a hundred pillars, or the city of Celtiberian San Miguel, allowing young archaeologists to be trained in the territory itself.

For her part, the mayor of Calahorra, Mónica Arciiz, explained that «archaeological sites in a city like Calahorra, instead of being two thousand years old, are an attractive tourist statement, which implies added value for our city, making it a complete tourist destination because in addition to the offering of cultural and educational experiences.»

She also thanked for uniting this area of archaeology in Calahorra. «It helps the local council to maintain our historical heritage of Calahorra and keep its history and cultural identity alive and share it with the rest of the world,» she said.

The experimental fields of Archaeology at La Rioja is an initiative that was born in 2022 by the International University of Rioja, in collaboration with the city of Calahorra, and two years later expanded to Arno, with the support of its Municipal Council.

The initiative allowed more than 65 participants to firsthand knowledge of archaeological methodology and materials in excavations. It also has an official profile on Instagram (Archeology_unir) to disseminate archaeology, experimental fields, research, and all the activities that take place.

The most recent edition of the experimental archaeology fields at UNIR in La Rioja ended with the documentation of three periods of occupation at the site of the Clinic in Calahorra and eight new tombs at San Miguel de Arno Hill.

FUENTE