One road leads to another

ROAD works in Villajoyosa have brought to light a Roman road.

Excavations for the new road between the Ermita roundabout and Avenida Pianista Gonzalo Soriano revealed what was probably a side road leading to a villa, archaeologists said.

It would have later joined the main Roman road beneath the existing Calle Canaleja that later passes though La Creueta and La Creu de Pedra before continuing inland to Alcoy.

This is the tenth time that excavations have revealed part of one of La Vila’s six Roman roads.   This latest section, which is 3.6 metres wide and runs east to west, was edged with stone kerbs.  It had clearly been repaired as potholes had filled with stones and pottery shards, said the archaeologists who also found a wealth of other objects.

These included loom weights and fine pottery from the 1st or 2nd Century AD as well bronze and iron nails, a bronze ring, a fishing hook and several 4th Century AD coins.

These objects, together with the side-road, indicate a nearby villa, the experts said, although this has yet to be located.