New documentary film on the 2700-year-old Phoenician shipwreck found off the San Javier coast of La Manga

The Bajo de la Campana site provides valuable evidence of Phoenician seafaring and trading activity in the 7^th century BC

A new documentary film has been presented in which experts analyse the importance of the discovery of the Phoenician shipwreck known as the Bajo de la Campana, just off the coastline of La Manga del Mar Menor.

The footage includes detailed images from the four years of work on recovering the remains of the vessel which sank off Isla Grosa in waters which lie within the municipality of San Javier, and the documentary “El Pecio Fenicio del Bajo de la Campana” was overseen and directed by Miguel Ángel Gallego and Juan Pinedo with the cooperation of the Fundación Integra Digital and the local Town Hall.

The Bajo de la Campana

The Bajo de la Campana is one of the most important marine archaeological sites in the Region of Murcia and actually consists of the remains of not just one vessel, but four. One of these exceeds 20 metres in length, making it the largest ever found on the Murcia coastline, and dates from approximately the 7^th century BC (although the remains were not found until the 1950s). Still on board was a large quantity of raw materials, together with some interesting trade goods, all of which provide valuable archaeological evidence about the trading activities of this once immensely powerful nation of trading merchants.

Some of these items, including ivory tusks, amphorae, a stone pedestal and ingots of bronze, tin and copper, are on display in the ARQUA national underwater archaeology museum in Cartagena.

Miguel Ángel Gallego describes the findings as being of worldwide significance, as evidenced by the participation of the Institute Nautical of Archaeology (INA) of the University of Texas in the excavation.

For more local information visit the tourist offices of San Javier or go to the home page of San Javier Today.

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Calle Padre Juan. Centro Cultural Principe de Asturias 30720 SAN JAVIER

Tel: 968 571 704

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Oficina de Turismo de San Javier

The municipality of San Javier has three main offices giving tourist information to visitors, as well as two information points. The tourist offices are located in Santiago de la Ribera, on the ground floor of the town hall in San Javier and at the start of La Manga. There is also a summer tourist information point located on the seafront in Santiago de la Ribera as well as one at kilometre 12-13 of La Manga del Mar Menor next to Playa Mistral.

Due to its location on the fringes of the Mar Menor and Mediterranean, San Javier has a period of intense summer tourism activity during the peak summer months, although it is popular with retirees of all nationalities out of peak season.

Tickets for the annual San Javier Jazz Festival can be purchased at the Festival office in San Javier Town Hall, Plaza de España.

 

Timetables summer 2024:

Tourist office Santiago de la Ribera (Calle Padre Juan 30720, Santiago de la Ribera)

Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 21.00

Weekends and public holidays 10.00 to 13.00

Telephone: 661 572285

Email: turismo@sanjavier.es

La Manga del Mar Menor (Gran Vía Km. 0 30380, La Manga del Mar Menor): 

May 1 to September 30:

Weekdays 10.00 to 14.00 and 17.00 to 19.00

Weekends and public holidays 10.30 to 13.00

Telephone 968 128955 ext. 2

Tourist information point of San Javier (Plaza de España, 30730 San Javier):

 

Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00

968 573 700 ext #5351

Email: concejaliadeturismo@sanjavier.es

Tourist information point of Santiago de la Ribera (Paseo Colón on the seafront)

Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 21.00

Weekends and public holidays 10.00 to 13.00

Tourist information point of La Manga del Mar Menor (Playa Mistral, km 12)

Weekdays 11.00 to 18.00

Weekends and public holidays 11.00 to 14.00