Pieces intervened by the Civil Guard to the two investigated who were surprised at the Botija site. /
They were surprised by the Civil Guard in Botija with two buckles, a lamp engraved with a human face and several undated coins.
New operation in Extremadura against the looting of archaeological pieces, this time in the province of Cáceres. The Civil Guard investigates two men, aged 32 and 33, as alleged perpetrators of a crime of looting in Botija.
They were surprised at the archaeological site of Villasviejas del Tamuja, declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in the category of archaeological zone. Those investigated had in their possession 48 pieces of archaeological interest, a metal detector and other tools to carry out excavations, indicates the Armed Institute in a press release.
The events took place on March 8, when agents from the Cano Village Post learned of the presence of a vehicle in the area of the site. The same had already been sighted in the area several days ago, and the agents tried to locate its owner in the area, until they managed to intercept the vehicle when it was circulating with its occupants inside.
When proceeding to their identification, they were able to find out that it was a resident of La Coronada and another from Malpartida de Cáceres. When asked about his presence in the acereño deposit, they could not give a coherent answer, according to the agents.
After that, a search of the vehicle was carried out, finding in its trunk a backpack that contained a metal detector, in addition to a pickaxe, headphones for the detector and other types of material used to carry out excavations.
Similarly, the agents located under the driver’s seat a plastic bag containing a total of 48 pieces of apparent archaeological interest, including two buckles, a lamp engraved with a human face and several undated coins.
The Civil Guard has also intervened a metal detector, a pickaxe and other tools to carry out excavations
Both the tools and the archaeological pieces were taken precautionary by the agents, at the disposal of the judicial authority, proceeding to the investigation of the two men as alleged perpetrators of a crime on the Heritage, in its plundering modality, instructing the corresponding diligences to that effect. which were placed at the disposal of the Court of Instruction of the Guard of Cáceres.
Put in contact with the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage of the Junta de Extremadura, as well as with the Museum of Cáceres, they proceeded to deliver the intervened tools and pieces, for their corresponding study and cataloguing. The Board recalls that in the event of an archaeological find, the Extremadura Heritage Law requires communication within a maximum period of 48 hours.
Other operations against looting
It is not the only intervention of the Civil Guard for similar events in recent days in Extremadura. Last Wednesday, the intervention of Seprona in Llerena of a stone fragment of Roman origin that a neighbor of the town found without reporting heritage was reported. The piece was deposited by the agents in the Archaeological Museum of Badajoz.
In February, the National Police carried out another important operation against looting by recovering some 12,000 archaeological objects of great historical value and high scientific and economic interest in the province of Cáceres. The operation resulted in a detainee, an archaeologist and a graduate in Geography and History, who came to “restore” some valuable piece with white putty and glue in an improper way.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.