They find in Cádiz remains that could correspond to the mythical temple of Melqart and Hercules

An investigation has found in Cádiz remains that could be of the mythical Phoenician-Punic temple of Melqart and Hercules. If confirmed, the finding could solve one of the great unknowns of archeology.

Specifically, the structure, located at a depth of between five and three meters and 300 meters long and 150 wide, has been located in an area between Sancti Petri (Chiclana de la Frontera) and Camposoto (San Fernando).

It has been found thanks to remote sensing methods carried out by Ricardo Belizón and Antonio Sáez, from the Department of Prehistory and Archeology of the University of Seville, who have studied aerial images of the area of ​​the National Geographic Institute and of an American flight in 1956, which they have subjected to digital processes that have allowed the visualization of the structure and many others.

And it is that next to it remains of what could be breakwaters, an inland port structure and other buildings that would indicate that there was a Roman city that could be the size of Baelo Claudia, a completely different social landscape from the one that was estimated until now that there was in this area in which the Melqart temple was sought (Heracles for the Greeks and Hercules for the Romans).

The structure found correlates with the information that various classic authors They gave of this famous sanctuary, which they described in a changing environment, subject to the tides and close to the coast.

Since the 18th century, remains have been located, such as coins and sculptures, which confirmed that the temple was in that area and since the 70s, various archaeological interventions and surveys have been carried out that have served to locate other remains, but not to locate the temple. Now, the investigation revealed this Wednesday believes it has found the platform on which the temple was located.