Santuario de la Malladeta, Iberian sanctuary near La Vila Joiosa, Spain.
Santuario de la Malladeta is an Iberian archaeological site on a promontory near La Vila Joiosa with nine rooms built into the northeastern slope and five additional chambers on the western side. The complex used natural terrain to distribute religious and practical functions across different levels.
The sanctuary functioned from the 4th century BCE until around 80 CE, when religious activities likely shifted to the newly built forum of the city Allon. This transition marked a major change in local settlement patterns and religious practice.
Worshippers devoted this temple to the Mother Goddess, as shown by terracotta figurines and ceramic incense burners discovered at the location. The objects reveal the spiritual beliefs that guided people living here thousands of years ago.
The site features well-maintained pathways with wooden railings, benches, and information panels that work well for visitors with mobility limitations. The natural slope provides shelter from wind and good views over the surrounding landscape.
From the summit, observers could track sunrise positions during equinoxes, which helped ancient people determine their agricultural calendars. This alignment reveals that people deliberately placed their sacred spaces at locations with astronomical significance.
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