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Alcaucin is situated on the side of the Sierra Tejera,
overlooking Axarquia region, Periana Corridor and
Zafarraya Gap, the village affords spectacular views
as far as the coast. Remains of Neanderthal man were
found here, but the 1st real settlement didn't appear
here until Moslem times, as proven by the remains
of Zalia Castle. It displays the typical characteristics
of the Axarquia villages, with its steep, narrow streets
lined with white houses. Places worth visiting include
The Tajo de la Cueva, The Moron de la Cuña,
The Loma de la Monjas and The Majadas.
History
The municipal boundaries of Alcaucin, which stands
in the foothills of the Sierra Tejeda, stretch as
far as the border with the province of Granada, the
border being marked out by a series of mountains which
provide access to the Axarquia region via the natural
pass of The Boquete de Zafarraya. This pass has, since
time immemorial, played a key role in the history
of the settlers of the adjacent territories; in fact,
archaeological excavations carried out in 1983 point
to human presence in the area over 30,000 years ago:
remains were discovered of the jawbone of a male Homo
Sapiens - better known as Neanderthal Man - from the
Le Moustier era of the mid Palaeolithic period. Other
prehistoric remains found near The Boquete de Zafarraya
are: the caves of Cueva de los Guaicos and Abrigo
de The Espino, both of which belong to the Neolithic
period, and evidence of a Bronze Age settlement in
the 2nd century A.D. at Cerro de La Negreta. Proof
of the strategic importance of the area, and of its
key role in connecting the coast with the interior,
is “Zalia Castle”, located on the plateau
of the same name, which dates back to Phoenician times.
The Arabs equipped this defensive emplacement with
the elements that, even in its current ruined state,
are still visible today. The last stage in the castle’s
history began in 1569, when, in the wake of morisco
- Moslem convert to Christianity - revolts and uprisings,
it became a prison administered by the Bishopric and
subversive Moors or those suspected of participating
in the rebellion were incarcerated here. The village’s
present-day name comes from the Arabic alqausin, meaning
bow, and, in the opinion of some authors, could be
a reference to the fact that the village was famous
for producing these weapons. Both the village and
nearby Zalia Castle were conquered by the Catholic
Monarchs in 1485. Another outstanding event in the
annals of the village’s history, and one which
is part of the village elders’ folklore, is
the major earthquake which occurred on Christmas Day
1884, the epicentre of which was in Sierra Tejeda,
razing most of the north of the Axarquia to the ground
and causing serious damage and deaths. Accounts state
that rescue and aid operations were made extremely
difficult by the heavy snow which fell in the area
around the same time.
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