RESEARCH > Initial investigations (1979 - 1984)

Between the years 1979 and 1984, a series of land surveys and excavations were carried out by C. Rita’s team, which confirmed the foundation of the city of Sanisera around a date contemporary to the Roman conquest of the Balearic Islands in 123 B.C., and proved that it lasted till the 6th century A.D.  
Thanks to the surveys undertaken, the archaeologists were able to determine an initial perimeter of the city, which could have occupied a total surface of 60000 square meters.
The excavation campaigns developed during the ’80 demonstrated the location of a building, called “edificio C” (building C) by C. Rita, which was formed by eight rectangular rooms. While some of those rooms were warehouses, others were used for the production of local wine, something which is attested by a system of tanks and cisterns lined by opus signinum which are interconnected. Other industrial activities could have been developed here, such as the production of purple or salted fish. The building could have been abandoned at the beginning of the 6th century A.D.
Apart from this industrial building, the team partially excavated a building which could have been an early Christian basilica, since its architectural plan seems to correspond to that of this type of buildings.