Largest collection of Roman cave inscriptions discovered, revealing unexpected secrets of ancient worship
Experts determined that the Romans in the secret sanctuary worshiped a goddess known as Domina. They also determined that women played a large, active role in the deity's worship.
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THE TAKEAWAY
- This is the largest collection of Latin cave inscriptions found from the Roman Empire.
- Archaeologists have studied five distinct inscriptions, noting that most are believed to date between 1 and 2 A.D.
- Inscriptions reveal the significant role women played in religious practices in the area.
VALÈNCIA, Spain – Archaeologists have uncovered the largest collection of Latin cave inscriptions from the Roman Empire in Spain.
Officials from the DONARQ project announced surprising new details about the cave inscriptions, first observed in 2024, revealing the significant role women played in religious practices in the area.
In 2024, archaeologists initially discovered a hidden Roman sanctuary more than 650 feet underground.
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After recent months of epigraphic analysis to understand, study and date the inscriptions, researchers from the University of Zaragoza, University of Southampton and University of Alicante determined that the Romans in the secret sanctuary worshiped a goddess known as Domina.
They also determined that women played a large, active role in the deity's worship.
Dr Silvia Alfayé and Dr Sergio García-Dils working in the Roman sanctuary. (DONARQ Project / University of Southampton)
"This evidence fits remarkably well with the epigraphic data pointing to women's active participation in the sanctuary's ritual life," Dr. Virginia Barciela from the University of Alicante said.
Archaeologists have studied five distinct inscriptions, noting that most are believed to date between 1 and 2 A.D.
Researchers also note that those who worshiped the deity believed it was connected to water.
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Various inscriptions are well-preserved on the walls and ceilings of the cave, and the floor consists of natural pools formed by mineral deposits, with a water-flowing cave system that helps it retain water.
It is worth noting that the site wasn't simply used for normal religious purposes, but rather was the specific site for a particular cult which worshiped the deity.
Illustration from the end of the 19th century. (Stefano Bianchetti/Corbis / Getty Images)
The pools could have served as places where visitors offered a wide range of ritual offerings. Ritual items include rings, bracelets, chalice-shaped vessels, spindle whorls, ceramic fragments, faunal remains and other materials.
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The presence of spindle whorls indicates the offering of spindles, a textile-working implement usually associated with women.
This site is known as Cova de les Dones (Cave of the Women), and each discovery like this reinforces the idea that this location served as a landmark for communities in the region for thousands of years.
Battle of Mutina (now Modena, Italy), 43 BC, between Octavian and Mark Antony - Final War of the Roman Republic / Antony's Civil War. Emperor Augustus (63 BC - 14 AD / Gaius Octavius / Octavian, renamed Augustus in 27 BC). Liebig collectors' card, 1939 Liebig S 1391 / F1386 (Culture Club/Bridgeman / Getty Images)
It offers a glimpse into the lifestyle of women in a certain social class during the early days of the empire under Emperor Augustus, the great-nephew of Julius Caesar.
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These inscriptions are exceptionally rare, offering a deep dive into the daily lives of various Romans, their social status and ways of life, all while lasting for so long.
Researchers have yet to investigate a substantial part of the Cova Dones, and many other inscriptions await study.