La Bastida de les Alcusses

La Bastida de les Alcusses is an Iberian city of the 4th century BC located near Mogente/Moixent, Valencia.

It is considered to be one of the principal Iberian archaeological sites of the Valencian Community due to its sudden abandonment and good preservation.

The first archaeological excavations were begun in 1928 by the newly created Servicio de Investigación Prehistórica of the Valencian Community.

[3][4][5] 250 rooms were excavated and a number of important artefacts were recovered, including the Guerrero de Mogente, small lead plaques with inscriptions in the Southeast variant of Iberian, and weapons and jewellery.

The gatehouses all contain internal benches, possibly guard posts or spaces for controlling the passage of goods.

[12] The secondary gates at the western end were blocked up during the occupation of the site, presumably to improve defensibility.

The principal crops were unirrigated cereals (barley, wheat and millet) as well as legumes (broad beans and peas).

[20] Cultivation was done with wooden ploughs reinforced with iron ploughshares, of which a number have been found in the houses of the town.

[23] Finally, fish hooks found at the site indicate that the nearby Canyoles river was also an important food source.

From the Strait of Gibraltar there are amphoras that contained salted fish products and included amongst the local tablewares are plates and cups imported from Athens.

[31] The Guerrero de Mogente likely represents a high status man: the figure is represented as naked to show his heroic nature, and carries the distinctive Iberian curved sword (falcata), a small round shield (caetra), and wears a helmet with a large plume.

The offerings deposited in the principal (west) gate, also indicate the symbolic importance of a full panoply including sword and shield.

The blockage of two of the gates, remains of a fire, and the numerous weapons and personal items found in the streets all indicate a rapid and violent end to the site's occupation.