Metrics details This article presents the results of the geoarchaeological study of earthen building materials used in a Tartessic public building at Casas del Turuñuelo The construction dates back to the fifth century BCE and is one of the monumental buildings of Tartessic culture and intentional destruction after a feast and animal sacrifice We applied an integrated methodology combining macro and micro approaches to investigate earthen construction processes but we also include other forms of earthen materials such as mud plasters 64 samples from different building parts were studied through X-ray fluorescence The results reveal that the workforce involved in the construction process used different resources and presented different skill levels This study reflects on the communities’ knowledge of the environment the logistic effort and technical skill employed in the building process and the existence of strong political structures capable of managing the erection of the complex Tartessic buildings Casas del Turuñuelo archaeological site (A) Location of the site in the context of the Iberian peninsula (Digital Terrain Model from OpenStreetMaps QGIS version 3.4.6); (B) Map of the settlement of the Middle Guadiana Valley during the sixth/fifth centuries BC (DTM from Instituto Geográfico Nacional de España QGIS version 3.4.6); (C) Aerial view of the Casas del Turuñuelo tumulus Our results reveal multiple human–environment interactions and the identification of different workforces involved in constructing Casas del Turuñuelo building Reflecting on all these elements is essential to understanding the complexity of the work strategies and routines behind the building process and its political connotations in the historical framework of the Tartessian culture The Casas del Turuñuelo site is located in the meadow of Vegas Altas region of Extremadura Its position on the plain does not prevent it from controlling one of the main communication arteries of the territory the Guadiana River and the fertile lands it irrigates The site’s specific functionality is still difficult to establish in detail because of the limited excavated area and the complexity of the structure as well as the rituals carried out before its destruction The monumentality of its architecture and the richness of the buried materials point to an important structure that may have played a political economic and perhaps religious role in the fifth century BC such as an Iron Age rural administrative centre Longitudinal and cross-section of Casas del Turuñuelo building (B) 3D model of the animal sacrifice documented in the courtyard (C) Mudbrick wall documented in the south corridor including glass bowls from the Eastern Mediterranean and a fragment of Pentelic marble sculpture (Project Construyendo Tarteso) We have identified sun-dried mudbricks as the main building material in three different modules: 40 × 20 × 10 cm which were used in different parts of the building The walls were covered with diverse mud plaster sometimes decorated with painted motifs or even geometric wave decorations in high relief The knowledge of mudbrick was so radicated that it enabled the builders to create exceptional architectural elements during Iron Age I such as the aforementioned vault or the staircase but also the construction of complementary architectural elements altars or pedestals like the one under the sarcophagus (Source: Geological and Mining Institute of Spain sheet number 778) and aerial view (PNOA from Instituto Geográfico Nacional de España QGIS version 3.4.6) of Casas del Turuñuelo surroundings or their possible alteration by post-depositional processes Statistics results of XRF chemical data: (A) Compositional evenness plot for the 64 samples analyzed percentage on the possible maximum; (B) Ternary phase diagrams of the CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 system with the situation of the individuals analyzed; (C) PCA mapping of Casas del Turuñuelo samples considering the twenty-six chemical elements retained for the statistical approach; (D) Dendrogram of 64 individuals after a HCA performed on the twenty-six chemical elements cited in the text Thin-section analysis allowed the recognition of different petrographic fabrics (PF) and sub-fabrics, plus one sample that could not be assigned to the previous groups and it is classified as a loner (Fig. 5). Representative microphotographs of the identified petrofabrics from Casas del Turuñuelo building Mudbrick TUR 13 with a vugh as result of the addition of vegetal temper; (b) PF 1.1 Mud Plaster TUR 23 with frequent voids linked to the vegetal temper; (f) PF 1.3 Mud Plaster TUR 33 with frequent voids linked to the vegetal temper; g) PF 2 with a vugh as result of the addition of vegetal temper; (h) PF 2 with detail of a leucogranite inclusion; (i) Loner TUR 37 which is composed by coarse quartz sand and vegetal temper (n = 53 + 3 soil samples) This fabric is homogeneous in terms of geological composition been possible to recognize internal differences in the size parameters colour groundmass and temper inclusions that led to identifying three different sub-fabrics: -Sub-fabric TUR 1.1 (n = 22 + 3 soil samples The groundmass presents a homogeneous yellowish tone and fibrous pattern The aplastic inclusions are moderately sorted and the grain size ranges between coarse silt (> ca They are mainly represented by sub-rounded to angular monocrystalline quartz The voids are present in a medium–low frequency and they follow the shape of meso and macro channels and vughs The structure of the voids points to the addition of vegetal temper and the remains of vegetal structure have been attested in TUR 7 It shows the same type of aplastic inclusions but a high percentage of inclusions of a bigger size characterizes the matrix which exhibits a homogeneous brownish colour and a well-packed structure The aplastic inclusions reach sizes between fine silt (< ca and it is worth noting the higher frequency of clay pellets The frequency of vegetal temper is also higher with more common meso and macro voids following a shape-structure of channels and vughs 38 and 61 present the remains of vegetal material in some voids 32 and 33) follows the same characteristics mentioned in the sub-fabric but differs from it in the increased presence of voids linked to vegetal temper The voids are channel-shaped and mega-size (> 2 mm) following an orderly distribution linked to sediment mixing and in many cases they preserve the organic structure of the plant remains The groundmass presents a homogeneous dark brown and densely packed structure where the aplastic inclusions reach a size between medium silt (< ca The distribution of the coarse fraction is very poorly sorted and the spatial distribution of the inclusions is measured within the single to double-spaced frame The main inclusions are sub-rounded to sub-angular quartzite (micaceous sandstone) and monocrystalline/polycrystalline quartz angular plagioclase and some porphyritic leucogranite Other inclusions in very few frequencies are rounded reddish clay pellets The voids follow a structure of channels and vughs reaching large sizes but without an orderly distribution pattern These are occasionally linked to vegetal remains used as temper and detecting part of the micro-internal structure of the vegetal inclusions in TUR 52 burnt groundmass with altered rocks (c.f.v This sample exhibits a black groundmass with aplastic inclusions ranging from medium silt (< ca The coarse fraction presents a few sub-angular to angular granite inclusions and feldspars (plagioclase and microcline) often altered by high-temperature effects classified as micro and meso vughs and vesicles Phytoliths in samples (× 50 PPL); (a) a SPHEROID phytolith (TUR 6); (b) an ELONGATE ENTIRE multicell (TUR 40); (c) ELONGATE multicells from grass leaves/bracts in anatomical connection (TUR 59); (d) an unidentified opal body (TUR 60) XRD diffractograms with identified crystalline phases representative of the petrographic groups No kaolinite was detected either in the PF 2 samples goethite is present in the diffractograms of PF 2 samples which explains the reddish colouration of the groundmass observed in thin sections within this group linking it to a different provenance area The presence of hercynite and the vitrification recognized in this mudbrick is caused by the high temperatures reached by the building during the fire event associated with its collapse The geoarchaeological approach points to three different raw material catchment areas exploited synchronously during the construction of Casas del Turuñuelo Although all the samples share a similar geochemical fingerprint—except TUR 37 we have recognized subtle differences mainly based on petrographic and XRD results that are essential for historical and archaeological interpretations: The characteristics of the PF TUR-1.1 (n = 22) match the three soil samples—TUR S1, S2, S3—collected near the site that exhibit a yellowish mass matrix rich in quartzite sands. This reveals the existence of an initial exploitation area adjacent to Casas del Turuñuelo, which exploited sediments rich in gravel and sand linked to the Guadiana River deposits (Fig. 3) The results also reveal the presence of a second catchment area in the vicinity which includes the EBM classified as PF TUR-1.2 (n = 25) and TUR-1.3 (n = 5) It is true that the samples of these groups present similar chemical compositions to those of the previous sub-fabric but their matrix with a higher percentage of inclusions and clay pellets and the absence of kaolinite point to a different provenance or The third soil catchment area is situated further away from the site, probably about 3–4 km to the south, where we found geological formations rich in granites (Fig. 3) The correlation between these formations and the petrographical composition of PF TUR-2 (n = 7) is well evidenced and also supported by the high presence of ferric materials Location and provenance of Casas del Turuñuelo earthen building materials: (A) Situation of analyzed EBM and their petrographic assignment; (B) Graphical representation of the distribution of the samples according to their petrographic assignment and their location in the different parts of the building; (C) Representative stereomicroscope photographs of each group identified The Casas del Turuñuelo building would have required an extremely large number of builders and building materials Specific energetics calculations are difficult to estimate until the building has been uncovered in its entirety but such an effort would probably involve the participation of unskilled people alongside a skilled labour force The less skilled people could likely collaborate in the collection of raw materials and the initial mixing of recipes The fact that some of these steps were carried out by low-skilled workers does not imply that other or more experienced individuals were not involved in the construction activities which clusters together the mud plaster samples from the upper floor vestibule shows a high percentage of vegetal temper and when combined with the macro observation of multiple layering episodes toward a specialized activity we consider that there are diverse working strategies visible in the construction methods at Casas del Turuñuelo that convey the idea that the manufacture must have been centralized the production of mudbricks of identical typologies near the site and in areas that are more distant is a perfect instance Another would be the difference between the mud-brick makers and the builders who used the mudbricks according to their needs and their availability on site the operational chain could also include other groups dedicated to covering and decorating surfaces with plaster and coatings that followed specific recipes to achieve a more resistant building surface This degree of complexity in the operational chain working synchronously and on the same architectural project be understood without a fully logistic organization in charge of designing the building and planning the volume of materials necessary The political power that ordered the construction was able to mobilize the necessary workforces and resources would have coordinated a group of specialists or ‘architects’ who could distribute and order the production of mudbricks among the different groups that manufacture mudbricks autonomously based on the resources assigned and the size required The analysis of the EBM employed at Casas del Turuñuelo provides new understanding of public earthen architecture and building practices in Mediterranean Protohistory Our interdisciplinary approach provided data to identify 5 different compositions from which to extract relevant environmental and socio-economic data The scope of the interpretations of these Tartessian building materials have been very significant as different catchment areas have been detected associated with different architectural elements such as mud plaster they provide new evidence on the degree of knowledge that protohistoric communities attained about the natural environment and landscape based on the availability and adaptability of local soil sources for the manufacturing of earthen architecture From the immediate vicinity of the building to much more distant areas this study demonstrates how the raw source procurement of EBM could be extended territorially according to needs even if this meant facing new logistical challenges such as work organisation or materials transport the discovery of the building’s monumentality also reveals the complex labour organisational chains and the different working groups involved in highly important public buildings The analysis carried out at Casas del Turuñuelo has allowed us to recognise particular strategies involved in Western Mediterranean Protohistory specifically the manipulations and different know-how that took place in a coordinated manner for the construction of this building one process that stands out is the distribution of tasks among mudbrick makers resulting in the production of adobes of similar modules manufactured in different production areas which likely points to the existence of a group in charge of controlling the development and/or planning of the construction alongside the preparation of raw material sources this case study has not only demonstrated the agency of this community from the fifth century BC to select and manage the resources from their environment but also that these buildings cannot be fully understood without acknowledging the existence of a robust political organization capable of mobilizing raw materials and workforces to build monumental architecture such as the Tartessian buildings under tumulus The extraction method was mechanical and the condition of the samples were heterogeneous ranging from disintegrated to altered depending on the exposure to the final fire in the building S2 and S3—from the surrounding of the site have also been analyzed as a comparison for the material collected X-ray diffraction was implemented to characterize the mineralogical composition of a selection of EBM samples The analyses were performed using a Bruker D8 ADVANCE (q–goniometer) X-ray powder diffractometer equipped with a LynxEye detector with an active length of 2° The acquisition time was fixed on 2 s per step and sizes were taken from 5 to 70° 2Θ with a measured step of 0.05° The evaluations of the crystalline phases present in each sample were conducted using DIFFRAC plus EVA V8.0 software that includes the ICDD–JCPDS and ICSD databases The statistical analysis of the different types of geochemical data—XRF and CHN results—have been performed with the open software R Core Team (2023) All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and its supplementary material files Tartessos and the Phoenicians in Iberia (Oxford University Press El Poblamiento del valle Medio del Guadiana Durante la I Edad del 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Xray Spectrom. 46, 186–199. https://doi.org/10.1002/xrs.2745 (2017) A Petrological and Archaeological Study (British School at Athens Ceramic Petrography: The Interpretation of Archaeological Pottery Related Artefacts in Thin Section (Archaeopress Handbook for Soil Thin Section Description (Waine Research Interpretation of Micromorphological Features of Soils and Regoliths (Elsevier Archaeological Soil and Sediment Micromorphology (Wiley Download references The authors would like to thank the technical staff (A Millán García) of the Technological Research Support Service of the Polytechnic University of Cartagena who performed the XRF Martínez (Applied Petrology Laboratory of the University of Alicante) for the thin section preparation Open access funded by Helsinki University Library Grupo de Investigación en Arqueología (041-02) Instituto de Arqueología (CSIC-Junta de Extremadura) Esther Rodríguez González & Sebastián Celestino Pérez Ceramics and Composite Materials Research Group Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Benjamín Cutillas-Victoria: Conceptualization The authors declare no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-70374-x Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. LBV Magazine English Edition The archaeological work carried out during the VI Excavation Campaign at the archaeological site of Casas del Turuñuelo a slate plaque about 20 centimeters engraved on both sides where various motifs can be identified It combines drawing exercises with the repeated depiction of faces or geometric figures and a combat scene involving three characters Initial indications suggest that this unique piece in peninsular archaeology would have served as support for the artisan when engraving motifs on pieces of gold The new campaign has also made it possible to discover the location of the east door that gives access to the Stepped Room excavated in 2023 and known for the discovery of the first figured reliefs of Tartessos At a press conference the team of CSIC experts an organization dependent on the Ministry of Science highlighted the importance of the discovered slate plaque which shows four individuals identified as warriors given their decorated clothing and the weapons they carry initial indications suggest it is a jeweler’s slate a material that would have served as support for the artisan when engraving the motifs designed on pieces of gold This discovery is a unique example in peninsular archaeology and brings us closer to understanding the artisanal processes in Tartessos while also allowing us to complete our knowledge of the clothing This documentation complements the finding made in the previous campaign where the documentation of several faces allowed admiration of how the society of the 6th-5th centuries BC wore their jewelry The discovery of the east door of the building located in the center of a monumental facade more than three meters high according to the research team and based on the nature of the documented architectural remains the main access to the building on its eastern end which preserves its two constructive floors The door connects the Stepped Room with an extensive slate-paved courtyard in front of which is located a cobbled corridor This corridor separates the main body of the building from a set of rooms where interesting material lots have been recovered the archaeological materials recovered from the adjoining rooms located in front of said access suggest that it is the production or artisanal area of the building This unique context will allow for an in-depth understanding of the productive processes of the First Iron Age in the southwestern peninsula A total of four spaces have been individualized and excavated where lots of ceramics have been recovered distinguishing miniature ceramic containers and a set of loom weights in the process of being manufactured which once again highlight the existence of textile craftsmanship at this site This evidence was already highlighted after the documentation of textile remains such as fragments of linen and wool documented in previous campaigns which are unique examples of peninsular archaeology The discovery of the door allows the closure of one of the milestones that this research group had set to better understand the spatial organization of the monument and its true function Equally significant is the discovery of the exterior rooms dedicated to different artisanal tasks allowing entry into very unknown social issues for this era and deepening the figure of the artisan in Tartessos Each new revelation represents a step forward in the interpretation of this culture further consolidating its importance in the Guadiana Valley during its final moments Our efforts will now focus on studying the recovered remains both from the face reliefs and the ivories As for the archaeological work at the site our goal for the next campaign is to delineate these production areas that seem to extend we will begin to open the rooms flanking the main space which have an excellent degree of preservation and can help us define the functionality of the building Constructing Tartessos is a project of the State Research Agency within the State R&D Plan of MICIU Its main objective is to characterize Tartessian material culture through the architectural analysis of large adobe buildings excavated in recent decades and introduce the concept of architecture as an integrated element in the territory The site of Casas del Turuñuelo is located in the region of Vegas Altas del Guadiana Its first excavation campaign began in 2015 the research staff is immersed in the sixth which includes the discovery of the building’s east door Its uniqueness is especially based on its excellent state of conservation which allows documenting construction techniques and architectural solutions that had not been documented in a Tartessian site The Constructing Tartessos project belongs to the Institute of Archaeology of Mérida (IAM) a research center that began its journey in 2000 The main objective of IAM is to promote scientific research on archaeological heritage from the regional scope of the Autonomous Community of Extremadura to the international level Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email Archaeologists from universities in the United States and Denmark found deep within the Actun Uayazba Kab cave in Belize two small stone tools dated between 250 and 900 AD that… men and women gathered to play a game called Cuju A team of researchers has succeeded in recreating for the first time in a laboratory experiment a phenomenon that until now only existed as a theory in the realm of… the Cantonal Archaeology of Aargau carried out a rescue excavation between early May 2024 and the end of March 2025 The Egyptian archaeological mission affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities announced the discovery of a group of defensive structures and a system of moats that could indicate… In the southeastern area of the city of Rome archaeologists excavating inside the Triton Baths within the monumental complex of the Villa di Sette… Why did some animals from ancient eras become fossils while others simply disappeared without a trace A recent study on the cave paintings of the Altamira Cave in Santillana del Mar Cantabria (Spain) has concluded that some of the artworks it contains could be much older… A team of paleontologists from the University of Leicester has managed to decipher one of the many enigmas of the dinosaur era—the exact moment when pterosaurs Rome achieved numerous military victories that allowed it to grow and dominate nearly the entire known world in Antiquity Receive our news and articles in your email for free You can also support us with a monthly subscription and receive exclusive content Australian takes over race lead after beating Adrià and García Cortina at Ojo Guareña Caleb Ewan (Jayco-AlUla) shot to victory on the second stage of the Vuelta a Burgos the Australian triumphing on the uphill finish at Ojo Guareña to score his third win of 2024 Roger Adrià (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) took second place as Iván García Cortina (Movistar) rounded out the podium which follows hot on the heels of his Vuelta a Castilla y Leon victory saw him ride up front in second wheel for the majority of the 1.3km closing climb before he jumped out of Remy Rochas' (Groupama-FDJ) wheel in time for the closing sprint lying level on time with stage 1 winner Pavel Bittner (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) García Cortina lies in third overall at two seconds down "I knew it was going to be a hard finish for me with an uphill like that but I had good support during the day," Ewan said after the stage "I was really motivated to finish it off because I was a bit disappointed after yesterday's stage so I'm happy to pull it off today I think they pretty much went full gas from bottom to top My legs were hurting but I still had enough to do the sprint in the end." The sprint finish had been set up after the last man standing from the day's breakaway Gorka Sorrarain (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) was brought back 6km from the line He had been joined in the move in the opening kilometres of the 161km stage by Mario Aparicio (Burgos-BH) though the break was never likely to last to the line on a stage suited to the versatile fastmen The quartet gained an advantage of four minutes at one point though the likes of DSM-Firmenich PostNL kept things under control on the road to the finish and Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) were among the major names caught up in the fall though the peloton was soon reorganised in pursuit of the leaders DSM were joined by several other teams including Ineos Grenadiers and Jayco-AlUla in working on the front while news filtered through that Caruso and Geoghegan Hart had been forced to abandon the race The break stuck together until they hit the 14km to go mark at which point Sorrarain took off on his own leaving his three breakmates to be caught 2km later Visma-Lease A Bike led the peloton into the final kilometres before Decathlon AG2R and Jayco took over heading into the climb A couple of short-lived attacks on the way up couldn't disrupt the sprinter's hopes and Ewan duly came through to deliver the 63rd win of his career Results powered by FirstCycling Dani has reported from the world's top races She has interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars and her favourite races are the Giro d'Italia Researchers from the Institute of Archaeology of Mérida (IAM), a joint center of the CSIC and the Junta of Extremadura, are studying a series of signs inscribed on the slate tablet from the Tartessian site of Casas del Turuñuelo (Guareña Badajoz) which discovery was announced last week it appears to be an alphabet of a southern Paleo-Hispanic script an organization under the Ministry of Science are collaborating with a researcher who is an expert in this type of script after identifying what seems to be a sequence of 21 signs traced on the tablet’s frame as presented by the researchers at a press conference last Thursday Experts suggest it could be the third alphabet of a southern Paleo-Hispanic script a researcher associated with the LITTERA group at the University of Barcelona learned about the discovery of a slate plaque with the silhouettes of three warriors at the Badajoz site through the media I saw that on one side there seemed to be a Paleo-Hispanic sign a sign that cannot be mistaken for any other Other traces compatible with known sequence signs were also noticeable Ferrer contacted the team at the Institute of Archaeology of Mérida responsible for these archaeological excavations and requested partial macro photographs of the area to confirm his suspicions everything points to an alphabet of southern script with the initial sequence ABeKaTuIKeLBaNS?ŚTaUE which is almost the same as documented in the Espanca alphabet The alphabet is a very conservative inscription The one found in Guareña starts with the sequence ABeKaTu and consists of 21 signs written from left to right along the outer edge of the plaque At least 6 signs have been lost in the broken area of the piece but if it were completely symmetrical and the signs occupied three of the four sides of the plaque so the lost signs could be eleven or more if a possible sign ‘Tu,’ isolated on the fourth side adding that it is a shame that the final part of the alphabet has been lost as that is usually where the most pronounced differences are found a CSIC researcher and one of the leaders of the archaeological excavations at Casas del Turuñuelo highlights that from the moment the slate tablet was found she was aware that the volume of information it contained was even greater than that of the warriors’ faces In addition to the silhouettes of some human figures the scientists had already observed several circles and lines suggesting that the plaque could be analyzed on different levels Esther Rodríguez and the other IAM researchers are studying the extent of the identified signs and their importance as examples of southern Paleo-Hispanic writing Paleo-Hispanic scripts are divided into two families: the northeastern family and the southern family The boundary between them is roughly south of Valencia which underwent a first adaptation into what is called an original Paleo-Hispanic signary The latter gave rise to the family of southern scripts only two other southern script alphabets have been confirmed the Turuñuelo alphabet repeats at least the first 10 signs of the Espanca site alphabet in Castro Verde (Portugal) This alphabet has 27 signs and was the only complete one we knew until now Another was found in the excavation of Villasviejas del Tamuja (Cáceres) the one from Guareña would be the third and provide a lot of information Collaboration among the researchers will help determine if the Casas del Turuñuelo alphabet can be classified with any of the known scripts or if it should be considered an independent southern script it confirms that there are many more inscriptions hidden at this site that we hope will come to light in future campaigns concludes the specialist in Paleo-Hispanic writing Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) the ancient inhabitants of the area currently occupied by the municipality of Guareña carried out a peculiar ritual in the courtyard of an enclave known today as Casas del Turuñuelo has provided new information about the Tartessian culture that populated those lands in the Iron Age a study published in the journal Plos One and led by researchers from the Institute of Archaeology of Mérida has shed light on the practices that took place in this site scientists have determined that it is the largest animal sacrifice discovered in the western Mediterranean of the time Through zooarchaeological and microstratigraphic analysis of the remains the experts were able to reconstruct the ritual that was carried out It is believed that the sacrifices were carried out in several phases over the last years of occupation of the set of houses until its abandonment in the late 5th century BC Some bones showed tooth marks and indications of having been exposed to the open air suggesting that initially the animals were sacrificed and their bodies left to the elements others were completely buried and in anatomical position in the last phase the remains of a banquet were deposited including beef and pork carbonized vegetables and ritual objects such as sheep beads were also found The orderly arrangement of the skeletons leads scientists to believe that staging was sought with the sacrifices also funded by the Regional Government of Extremadura and the Palarq Foundation demonstrates the importance of animal rituals in the societies of European Iron Age and highlights the prominence of equids in Tartessian culture This finding in Casas del Turuñuelo provides new data on the religious beliefs and customs of the inhabitants of that region in antiquity Thanks to the interdisciplinary work of more than a dozen scientific institutions we now have more details about the life and cosmogony of the last peoples who inhabited this area before the beginning of Roman domination in the Iberian Peninsula The Planning Authority (PA) has been organising these monthly tours for over a decade – last year it was Bormla participants will gain valuable insights into the distinctive features found in Qrendi including points of historical significance such as gardens A number of these sites are found in the locality’s Urban Conservation Area (UCA) Urban Conservation Areas (UCAs) play a crucial role in preserving the character and historical significance of places such as Qrendi These areas are defined as places of special architectural or historical interest that deserve protection and enhancement The tour will also feature projects financed by the Planning Authority either through its Irrestawra Darek scheme or the Development Planning Fund within the village Knowledgeable PA experts specialised in heritage planning and conservation will guide the walks known for its motto ‘Tyrium Dirutas Servo Moles’ (‘I Conserve the Buildings of the Phoenicians’) holds a unique place in Malta’s history participants will encounter several remarkable sites that showcase the village’s heritage The Qrendi Parish Church has a rich history dating back to 1620 Extensively remodelled and enlarged by renowned architect Lorenzo Gafá in the late 17th century it proudly graces the heart of the village and is widely regarded as one of Malta’s most beautiful churches The building was designated as a Grade 1 national monument in 2011 The tour will also include a visit to the Ġnien tal-Kmand The Ġonna tal-Kmand were a series of gardens commissioned by Sir Alexander Ball in the 19th century which served as horticultural experiments aimed at improving agricultural practices across the Islands While some of these gardens have disappeared the one in Qrendi remains mostly untouched Octagonal Tower (Torri Cavalier) in Qrendi British Period telephone booths are iconic The ones found in Qrendi - the K6 model known as the ‘Jubilee Kiosk’ – serve as a reminder of Malta’s colonial past and have been scheduled as Grade 2 features While the exact origins of the medieval octagonal tower known as Torri Tal-Kaptan are debated its architectural features and defensive design make it a unique and significant structure Next to the Maqluba doline (a cavity formed in November 1343 during a violent storm) you will find two San Mattew tal-Maqluba Chapels is a remarkable example of late medieval church architecture the Santa Katerina tat-Torba Chapel boasts unique architectural features features decorative elements that add to its spiritual ambiance The Chapel of our Saviour dates to 1575 when it consisted of just an altar it was beautifully restored to its original glory Palazzo Mater Buon Consil is a historic property with a unique blend of architectural elements It serves as a prominent landmark within the Qrendi’s Urban Conservation Area These niches are a testament to the deep devotion of Qrendi’s residents to the Virgin Mary The Mixja Madwarna Sunday walking tours in Qrendi offer a unique opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation for Malta’s cultural legacy by immersing yourself in Qrendi’s rich heritage while learning about the efforts made to preserve its historical character For more information and to reserve a place visit https://www.pa.org.mt/ Tours will be held on October 29; November 19 28; January 28; February 25; March 10; April 28 and May 19 Hollywood star Brad Pitt and his equally celebrated partner Angelina Jolie arrived in Malta on a private aircraft this afternoon Labelled the sexiest stars in film history and attracting major global media attention the couple who are accompanied by their six adopted and biological children left Los Angeles yesterday evening in a Bombardier Global Express jet They arrived in Malta this afternoon and exited Malta International Airport in a couple of vans from the VIP area They are thought to be staying at Palazzo Guarena Brad Pitt was last in Malta in 2003 for the filming of the ancient epic Troy in which he played the mightiest of the Greeks he is a United Nations worker and father of two girls Brad Pitt is in Malta for the filming of World War Z World War Z is set 10 years after the human victory over a worldwide zombie epidemic and tells a retrospective story about the invasion from the various viewpoints of those who survived the conflict that almost eradicated humanity Among the locations for the Malta shoot – the rest of the filming is in the UK – are Valletta and the Three Cities area The couple announced today they are donating 500,000 dollars  from their foundation to help Joplin rebuild after the deadly tornado which struck the south-west Missouri town last month The Community Foundation of the Ozarks said the gift from the Jolie-Pitt Foundation will go towards mid- and long-term needs in the tornado-ravaged city Pitt grew up in south-west Missouri and says in a press release released by the Community Foundation that he spent much of his childhood in the area and knows the people to be "especially resilient" The May 22 tornado destroyed more than 8,000 homes and 400 businesses including several victims who died as a result of injuries suffered in the storm please register for free or log in to your account Hollywood actor Tom Cruise is on the hunt to buy a luxury holiday home in Malta but has given his agency something of a mission impossible: The home must have a 200 square-metre living room who will be in Malta at the end of next year to shoot his own film Sources said the famous actor fell in love with the island earlier this year when he paid a secret two-day visit to his A-list friend Brad Pitt Together with Angelina Jolie and their six children he plans to buy himself a home which he can use while filming but keep in the future as a holiday home Sources said Mr Cruise enrolled Alessandro Proto Consulting which has already helped the star buy property in Italy and London The company has also worked with Mr Pitt and Leonardo di Caprio in the past a spokesman for the agency confirmed Mr Cruise’s interest to buy a house in Malta but refused to give more details sources said an agent will visit the island to scout for the right home in the coming weeks who is also known for his faith in the controversial Church of Scientology is said to have “no budget limit” but a number of specifications for his island retreat At the top of his list is “privacy” as well as a massive living room; almost as big as a tennis court Mr Cruise bought a $35 million mansion in Beverly Hills where he lives with his wife Katie Holmes and their five-year-old daughter Suri Mr Cruise topped Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list and was reported to earn €67 million a year his ranking fell to 56th place and his pay was reported to have dropped to a still healthy $22 million His net worth was last estimated to be $250 million mostly known for the Mission Impossible film series is said to have four new films in the pipeline: Horizons A 55-year-old man from Qrendi is expected to be arraigned in court in the coming days after a house was extensively damaged in an early morning blaze in Qrendi today No one was injured as the 75-year-old woman who lives there had left about three hours previously (as she sells fish).   The police said an investigation was under way since there were signs of a break-in please register for free or log in to your account.