Cerro del Villar Phoenician site
As of the latter half of the 9th century BCE, two major Phoenician colonies were established in the estuary of the Guadlahorce River: La Rebanadilla, discovered during the extension works of the Málaga airport, and Cerro del Villar, located a bit further south. The latter settlement covered several hectares and stretched out in an orthogonal pattern. The buildings were separated by transversal streets and grouped into blocks, which have been interpreted as shops where goods were displayed.
Amphorae containing fish were found inside one of these premises, as well as tiny lead weights that suggest the existence of commercial transactions, a well-known economic model in the Middle East. The dwellings consist of a series of square or rectangular rooms with flat roofs, generally arranged around a central open space that served as a courtyard.
The settlements’ economic activity has been found to include crop cultivation, such as vines in the hinterlands or fishing. This activity led to the elaboration of fish preserves that were exchanged with the indigenous settlements, as occurred in Ronda.
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