On the Expedition
Help find evidence of the first Europeans and learn how they lived.
Working in the world-renowned Cueva Victoria’s six large rooms and two kilometers of galleries in the Murcia province of Spain, you’ll help excavate the sediment disturbed by mining, remove fossils and artifacts, and map the location of any ancient human remains. With expert training from Dr. Lluis Gibert and his team, you'll learn how to clean, number, and catalogue your finds, and also sieve sediments for microfossils. You’ll focus on searching for fossils in the main room, the Sala Union, which is connected to the outside and filled with natural light from various holes, and also spend some time excavating at the outdoor site. Typically, you’ll work in the coolest part of the morning and early evening, with the hottest hours of midday reserved for refreshing swims, lunch, and siestas. You’ll be able to visit the beach for an hour before a late dinner, as the site is only three kilometers/1.8 miles away.
Meals and Accommodations
You’ll enjoy the spacious accommodations in a restored 100-year-old main estate house or in the smaller adjacent house, along with beautiful gardens and a pool. You’ll share a large bedroom with one or two other volunteers, and share bathrooms with all the modern conveniences. Meals will be served in the main house, and evening lectures or work will be done in the garden. Staff will prepare all meals, which will include delightful and healthy Mediterranean salads, lamb, and paella.
About the Research Area
Cueva Victoria is located near the Mediterranean coast on the east side of San Ginés de la Jara mountain, near the Mar Menor. Vegetation in the area includes typical Mediterranean bushes and some pine tress. The region contains varied landscape features, such as the lagoon of Mar Menor and its associated islands and salinas (shallow ponds used to grow salt). These salinas are home to many different types of birds, notably flamingos. The nearby Mediterranean coast, including the Cal Blanque Natural Park, features mountains formed by dark metamorphic rocks connecting to a variety of wonderful beaches.