Estepona Archaeological Museum |
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Archaeological Museum
This interesting Archaelogical museum is located in the Casa del Ajibe (still known locally as 'old Town Hall') on Plaza Blas Infantes. The museum houses over 400 pieces from all eras, including stone tools from the Palaeolithic era, some 100.000 years ago. The collection is held in four rooms on the ground floor.
Room 1 - Early populations and Phoenecians
The famous 'Venus de Estepona', a small clay feminine figure found in 2011 at Loma de la Alberca' is thought to be a fertility symbol over 5,000 years old. Some of the museums other prize exhibits are remains from the 'El Torreon" tower site (now lost) where Phoenicians settled 2.600 year ago.
Room 2 - Romans
Dedicated to Romans and includes relics found locally from the remains of Roman Villas on the coast. There is a focus on the Roman fishing, preservation, storage and transport of dried fish. There is information about a known shipwrecks off the Estepona coast from Roman to modern times.
The Republican submarine Class B-5 with 37 on board mysteriously went missing off Estepona 12 October 1936 after diving to avoid an attack. There is a theory that the Captain deliberately sank the vessel to aviod capture.
The HMS Ark Royal aircraft carrier was sunk 10 November 1941 off Estepona in 3,500 ft of water by a German U-Boat on route from Gibraltar to Gibraltar.
Room 3 - Byzantine and Omeya Califate
Excavations undertaken in the Necropolis at Arrlyo Vaquero offer an interesting insite to life during the Christianisation period around 5 AD. Artefacts found in Castillo de Nicio and in the old town reflect the integration into early Moorish culture.
Room 4 - From the 12th century the moorish town of Estebuna can been understood via artefacet recovered during excavations in the old town centre.
Building
The Archaeological Museum of Estepona is located in a 19th century building which was built over a water cistern (see the well central patio) belonging to a defensive tower from the Moorish period. The building was adquired by the Town Hall in 1853 and it housed the Mayors office until 2011 when it moved to Edificio Puertosol.
Read about more Archaeoligical sites in Estepona More >
Entrance
The museum is free entrance and open Monday to Friday from 08.30 to 13.30 hrs.
Saturday and Sunday closed.
Location
Plaza Blas Infante