The Department of Tourism, Culture, and Sport of the Junta de Andalucía has approved the PGI CDB-CONNECT, which will boost archaeological research at the Phoenician-Punic settlement. The work will focus on the northern zone, where a monumental gate dated between the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE has been characterized.
The project, directed by Ana María Niveau, a professor of Prehistory at the University of Cádiz, will span four years, from 2026 to 2029. This initiative marks a milestone for understanding one of the most important Phoenician-Punic sites in the western Mediterranean, declared an Asset of Cultural Interest. The PGI continues the pioneering work initiated in 1979 by Diego Ruiz Mata.
Preliminary work between 2024 and 2026, funded by the Provincial Council of Cádiz with support from the City Council of El Puerto de Santa María, led to the excavation of part of the access gate and the documentation of defensive structures and the site's occupational sequence.
The first year of the PGI, planned for this year with funding from the Provincial Council of Cádiz, will focus on excavating the monumental gate. Geophysical surveys, geotechnical soundings, and a drone flight with LiDAR technology and a thermal camera will be conducted to obtain a high-resolution digital model.
The CDB-CONNECT project aims not only to advance scientific knowledge but also to facilitate the site's valorization, creating new accessible spaces. It includes a dissemination program with open days and educational workshops.
The announcement was made during the 'Castillo de Doña Blanca: a site to rediscover' conference. The mayor of El Puerto de Santa María, Germán Beardo, reaffirmed municipal support and the intention to co-finance the project.
The interruption of excavations for nearly twenty years, since 2000, was due to disagreements over land acquisition. Archaeologist Diego Ruiz Mata highlighted Doña Blanca's significance as a link to origins, mentioning its temples and estimated population.
