A few months ago the Board approved a new General Research Project for a period of four years.

Juan Manuel Jiménez Arenas, the director of the research team for the new excavation campaign, has been in Orce for the last few days. The professor from the University of Granada has been receiving the members of the research team, yesterday they were preparing the sites that are closed and protected every year at the end of the excavations and today, Tuesday, they will begin the work, planned in the new General Research Project (PGI) called "Human Evolution and Palaeoecology from the Pleistocene sites of the Archaeological Zone 'Cuenca de Orce'. Challenges. Networks-Orce". The aim of this project is to give continuity to the research carried out in previous years in order to obtain scientific answers, bearing in mind that the majority of the research team coincides in both cases. The new project will run until 2026.

The new project received authorisation from the Directorate General for Historical Heritage and Cultural Innovation and Promotion on 7 March and has a total contribution from the Andalusian Regional Government of 300,000 euros at a rate of 75,000 euros per campaign. Although the budget may be increased with other contributions from the University of Granada itself, as well as from other entities.

Juan Manuel Jiménez Arenas, points out that the project has a series of specific objectives which, in terms of archaeological excavation, include the continuation of the excavation work at Fuente Nueva 3, Venta Micena and Barranco León.

In Fuente Nueva 3, where the famous mammoth defence found a few years ago is located, it is necessary to rethink the excavation strategy in order to avoid mixing different events, due to the complexity of the stratigraphic succession. At Venta Micena it is proposed to continue the work on the two main depositional events or processes, and at Barranco León the problem revolves around the imminent exhaustion of the excavable surface.

In the previous project it was proposed to deepen the investigation of regional geology. In this new framework, the aim is to delve deeper into the areas of sedimentology and stratigraphy, which is a key aspect. It will also allow the study and definition of the possible access routes to the Guadix-Baza basin through its most northeastern sector, among many other objectives. It is also intended to link the technological changes in the lithic carved production with the palaeoecological evolution of the most north-east part of the Guadix-Baza basin, as well as to unravel at family and even species level, the modifications carried out by the different biotic agents. In the case of humans, the raw materials used.

The excavations will continue until the month of July, bringing back to Orce the hustle and bustle of the excavation team, specialists and volunteers from different universities.

https://baza.ideal.es/baza/comienza-orce-nueva-campana-excavaciones-20230620223920-nt.html