Cova es Cuilleram

Cova d'es Cuilleram - Cava de es Cuieram


Useful Information

Location: Near Cala San Vicente, north eastern corner of Ibiza. Reach either from San Juan or San Carlos along a bendy paved road. Entrance is high above the city. There is a paved road to the cave.
Open: No restrictions.
Guided tours every first Saturday in the Month, starting at Cala San Vicente.
[2011]
Fee: free.
[2011]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: bring torch
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As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

1907 rediscovered.

Description

In the Cova es Cuilleram hundreds of items and objects representing the Goddess Tanit were found. So this cave is considered the most representative sanctuary of Punic Age on Ibiza. The Punians were the inhabitants of the city Carthage, in northern Africa, which was almost as big and important as Rome during the time between 500 and 146 BC. They were defeated by the Romans during three Punic Wars, and after the third the city was completely destroyed.

When Ibiza was still part of the Carthagan Empire, the cave was a place of funeral rites. This rite ensured safe passage to the after-life for the loved ones. Tanit was the Carthaginian lunar goddess, mother goddess, and symbol of fertility.

Numerous items discovered during excavations are now on display in the Carthagian Museum at Eivissa.