The Villa Romana del Paturro, situated within the Sierra Minera de Cartagena-La Union near the village of Portmán in the Region of Murcia, was discovered in 1969. Since then, it has been the subject of several archaeological research campaigns. The excavations have revealed two well-differentiated parts in terraced sectors: one part decorated with luxury materials dedicated to housing, and another part dedicated to industrial exploitation.
The villa shows two different levels of occupation. A first level from the Republican period relates to the exploitation of silver, lead, and other metals from the mines of Carthago Nova. A second level from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD is associated with the production of garum, which are fish salts. Abandonment of the villa is confirmed from the 3rd century AD.
Notable material remains include a large polychrome mosaic, which is the largest in the Region of Murcia, showing the figures of a deity and a peacock. Also notable is the white marble head of a satyr. Numerous remains of wall paintings, coatings, and architectural elements of different types of marble were also found. The large polychrome mosaic, along with some other fragments from the excavations, is deposited in the museum of La Unión in the village of Portmán, while the rest of the materials are distributed between the museums of Cartagena and Murcia.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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