The University of Navarra and the City Council of Eslava have signed today a agreement for the management, development and execution of the celebration of the centenary of the finding of the Roman city of Santa Criz, in the Arbiñaga mountain range.

In this way, activities will be carried out focused on learning, the knowledge dissemination and both pedagogical and touristic dynamization of this archaeological site declared of Cultural Interest by the Government of Navarra.

In this project, coordinated by Javier Andreu, professor of Ancient History and Archaeology at the University of Navarra and expert in Roman cities and ancient Vascones, will collaborate the School of Education and Psychology, which will deal with the design of material and educational workshops that bring the Roman heritage to schoolchildren in the area, and the School of Philosophy and Letters, which will coordinate an extensive calendar of guided tours in the coming months. The first two will take place in the framework of the European Heritage conference being held this weekend throughout Navarre.

The School of Philosophy and Letters will also lead a project that seeks to place Santa Criz de Eslava in Classical Archaeology at European level with the organization of a scientificmeeting on Roman cities with historical problems similar to that of this enclave, to be held between 9 and 11 November. Some twenty speakers from twelve Spanish and foreign universities, including Cambridge, Zurich, La Rochelle and the Spanish School of Archaeology in Rome, have already confirmed their participation.

One of the most monumental Roman cities of Navarre

In this way the two Schools cooperate in an exercise of scientific reflection on one of the most monumental archaeological sites of Navarra, but also in the transfer of the results of this research to society as has happened in other archaeological projects with which the University has collaborated, such as Los Bañales, winners, last year, of the award Sisyphus to the research, Dissemination and Promotion of archaeological heritage.

The project "Visiting Eslava: Santa Criz, archaeological treasure, dissemination campaign and knowledge dissemination 2017, centenary of finding of the site", is part of the "Vesta 2016-2020" program and has the MECNA seal, a distinction that recognizes its social and cultural interest for the region granted by the Government of Navarra. It also has the financial aid of the Program of development Rural 2014-2020/Montaña de Navarra, funded by the EAFRD (EU) and the Government of Navarra and managed by Cederna-Garalur.