Sencelles Purchases Prehistoric Cave to Safeguard Cultural Heritage

The municipality of Sencelles has taken over the Cova del Camp del Bisbe: a small purchase with a big significance for local cultural heritage. Bronze Age archaeological finds are to be better protected and made accessible in the future.

A Stopover in History – Now in Municipal Hands

You can tell by the conversations in town: Something special happened in Sencelles this week. The town hall has purchased the prehistoric cave "Cova del Camp del Bisbe" for 36,000 euros. Not a huge sum, but for a small municipality it is a sincere signal: Our past remains on the island.

How it happened

The purchase was made possible by funding from the Consell de Mallorca. Without this support, the takeover would have been difficult, say people who staff the town hall and often open and close its doors. The cave lies at the edge of a country path, surrounded by almond trees and dry stone walls. Those strolling here can easily imagine how people thousands of years ago used this place.

What archaeologists have found

Since 2013 the cave has been archaeologically studied. In the excavations researchers found bone and ceramic sherds dated to roughly 1600 to 1050 BCE – i.e., the late Bronze Age. Such finds are valuable: They tell stories about households, animal husbandry, burial or ritual sites. The objects are small, but their research value is great.

What the municipality plans

The town hall now talks about protection measures, signage, and a careful opening for visitors. No large crowds, assure the officials, but controlled access, information signs, and occasional guided tours – perhaps also in cooperation with nearby schools. There are no concrete timetables yet, but the goal is clear: to preserve and explain.

For residents this means more work (paperwork, security), but also pride. Those who drink their coffee here every morning will hear more often: "This is our cave." And that, says a neighbor with a laugh, weighs just as much as the 36,000 euros.

A Small Piece of Island History Remains Preserved

It is a comparatively understated step – not a major museum, not an expensive project. But often it is precisely such tangible decisions that ensure history does not disappear. The Cova del Camp del Bisbe is now part of the municipal cultural heritage and part of the Sencelles–Costitx archaeological route. For the island, this is a calm but important gain.

For those who want to learn more: The town hall will inform about planned measures and visiting rules in the coming weeks.