The last campaign in the archaeological complex of Basti is not directly related to the Research Project “Iberismo y romanización en el área nuclear bastetana”, but linked to an intervention for the support of restoration and evaluation of unearthed remains. These protective works have been founded by the Plan de Fomento de Empleo Agrario Especial (PFEA).

A three-month campaign was carried out in 2013. The archaeological action affected Cerro Cepero (habitat), as well as the Cerro del Santuario (necropolis). In regard to the first, the interventions did not involve essential changes in the approaches reached in previous excavations. In fact, the area of the temple was where the interest was principally set, in order to solve some stratigraphic and conservation issues. Specifically, in the central area of the forum, the aim was to determine the entity of the wall that seemed to delineate a terrace between two levels of the square. This has allowed a more precise chronological proposal as to the dating of the urban rebuilding. Some chronological indicators have allowed to suggest a date around the mid-1st century BC.

The other block of these archaeological works was focused on recovering the original landscape of the necropolis. In order to do so, the visual barriers, like the constructions from the 20th century or the spoil heaps formed during the excavations in the 60s and 70s have been eliminated.

(translation by Andrea Jorde Pérez)