Cova Dones: largest collection of Roman inscriptions in a Spanish cave

A discovery of unprecedented scale

According to the University of Southampton, which reports on the work of the DONARQ project, at least 120 Latin inscriptions have been recorded at Cova Dones. Until now, only about fifteen texts were known from this cavity. Most are attributed to the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, a period when the Roman presence was firmly established on the Iberian Peninsula.

The project is led by Aitor Ruiz-Redondo, of the University of Zaragoza and the University of Southampton, and by Virginia Barciela, of the University of Alicante. The epigraphic analyses, meaning the systematic study of inscriptions, were carried out during May and June.

A goddess called Domina

A group of five votive inscriptions allows Silvia Alfayé, professor of ancient history at the University of Zaragoza, to state that a cult was practised inside the cave in honour of a goddess respectfully referred to as Domina, "the Lady". This deity bore a specific epithet, probably linked to water, whose definitive reading is still under study.

Sergio García-Dils, of the UNED in Seville, notes that the concentration of these texts in one area of the cavity suggests a well-organised and structured cult, rather than a simple general religious visit.

Women at the heart of the rituals

Initial readings indicate that at least some women wrote their vows themselves, without an intermediary. This is remarkable: until now, the Roman cave with the largest known epigraphic corpus was La Griega, with 107 inscriptions, only one of which mentions a female name. Female dedicants exist elsewhere, but remain clearly in the minority compared with the overwhelming majority of male dedicants.

An preserved underground sanctuary

The inscriptions are concentrated in a chamber the researchers call the "Roman sanctuary", located more than 200 metres below the surface and discovered in 2024. They are very difficult to distinguish with the naked eye; the team therefore used high-resolution photogrammetric reconstruction, which builds three-dimensional images from many photographs, to identify previously overlooked texts and to separate others that had been considered a single inscription.

The floor is dotted with natural basins formed by mineral deposits, where water flowing through the cave collects. Excavations documented offerings in situ: two rings, a bracelet, chalice-shaped vessels, fusaiolae (spindle whorls), pottery fragments and animal remains. Also found in 2024 was a Roman coin bearing the name of the emperor Claudius.

What the cavity's name reveals

The large number of fusaiolae, spinning tools traditionally associated with women in antiquity, reinforces the hypothesis of active female participation. Barciela invites a reconsideration of the oldest known name of the site, Cova de les Dones, "the cave of the women". This place name may preserve the memory of a site long linked to women, or to female supernatural beings.

In situ preservation of both objects and rock inscriptions is exceptionally rare. Much of the cavity remains to be explored, and a conservation and promotion programme is planned for this year, including immersive virtual visits.