Step into the fascinating Valencian underground landscape! We invite you

to explore the Merinel Cave in Bugarra (València), a site steeped in history and symbolism. This cavity served as the setting for various Iberian ritual practices, primarily between the 5th and 4th centuries BCE.

Recent research is helping us delve deeper into the symbolic role these natural spaces held in Iberian culture through a contextual analysis that considers both the cave and the ritual journeys undertaken by people who repeatedly visited these spaces 2,500 years ago. Through the #RitContext project, we are conducting an in-depth study of the organic and inorganic offerings found, a detailed analysis of the cavity, and a sensory approach to the movements and ritual gestures performed.

3D technology is a highly valuable tool for both the dissemination and research of archaeological heritage. Through three-dimensional representations, we can accurately document the environment and archaeological finds, facilitating their analysis and interpretation. This technology was implemented during the excavations initiated at the Merinel Cave in June 2024.

*This video was produced by Global Mediterránea-Geomática as part of the R&D&I project for Emerging Research Groups funded by the Generalitat Valenciana: "Deep in caves: Iberian rituality in context" (PI: Sonia Machause López) (CIGE/2022/94), with the support of the Department of Prehistory, Archaeology, and Ancient History (Universitat de València) and the Honorable City Council of Bugarra.