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ARCHIVED - They Are Ours: Mazarron fights to keep Phoenician ships in the Murcia coastal town
Mazarrón's Department of Historical Heritage is collecting signatures to ensure the Mazarrón I and II remain in the municipality
A concerted effort is being made by Mazarrón Council to keep the Phoenician ships, Mazarrón I and II, which were discovered in 1994 and 1995 respectively off the coast of the La Isla beach, with the launch of a petition.
Announcing the 'They Are Ours!' ('¡Son nuestros!') campaign, which is supported by all groups represented in the Town Hall, Mazarrón's Mayor Gaspar Miras demanded that the Phoenician wreck Mazarrón II return to the town after its excavation and restoration in Cartagena alongside Mazarrón I for conservation and exhibition.
And in phase one of the campaign, the local authority's Department of Historical Heritage is urging the public to sign the petition launched through the digital platform change.org.
The Minister of Culture and Sports, Miquel Iceta, and his department are currently looking at options for raising the 2,700-year-old Mazarrón II from the Murcian seabed early next year, a painstakingly delicate operation which will be followed by its restoration.
"This is the ideal time for us ALL to join forces, to step forward and demonstrate that the ONLY and BEST option is that the Mazarron II, after treatment, return with the wreck Mazarron I to the municipality for conservation and enhancement," demands the Town Hall, reiterating the unanimous support given to the initiative by all councillors.
Mayor Miras believes there should "be no doubt within Murcia Regional Government that the Phoenician vessel should be located and exhibited in Mazarrón with the appropriate infrastructures, the means, facilities and equipment that are necessary for its best maintenance."
He has also appealed to the Spanish Government to approve and facilitate the construction of a museum on an 8,500 m2 plot of land in the Cabezo del Faroto, which was transferred in 2012, that could cost up to four million euros.
"We do not want more words, we want realities from the Autonomous Community and the Ministry of Culture in writing that the Mazarrón II comes to Mazarrón once it has been restored and can be exposed to the public," said the head of the Department of Historical Heritage, Ginés Campillo, who added that he is "committed to establishing an agreement between all the administrations involved to close a firm agreement and begin the construction of the museum".
At the beginning of the year, archeologists feared Mazarrón II could be lost forever as a result of a DANA (cold spell) or hurricane due to a lack of protection.
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Image 1: Archive
Image 2: Ayuntamiento de Mazarrón
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