In 2014, Lost Worlds Community Partner, American Foreign Academic Research (AFAR), began a multi-year archaeological excavation of Zorita Castle. For the initial archaeological season (and several thereafter) I was lucky to accompany the team. Located roughly an hour outside of Madrid, the Moors first built this Alcazaba or Muslim fortress in the 9th century. Situated to protect one of the three primary bridges over the Tagus River, this ensured the fortress was a key point of contention between the Moors and the Christians. Over two hundred years, possession of the castle switched hands a few times between various factions of the Moors and Christians. In 1174, the Spanish Christian King Alfonso VIII ceded Zorita Castle and several other castles in the region to the Order of the Calatrava Knights, an organization of monk warriors for whom the Night’s Watch in the hit series “Game of Thrones” were patterned after. The King hoped these religious orders would hold and defend the surrounding territories against invading Muslim armies. During the tenure of the Calatrava Order, new buildings were built within the walls of the castle including a church and a large tower. In 1545, the bridge the castle protected was destroyed by a flood. But prior to this time, the castle’s importance as a strategic site diminished as the order relocated to Audalusian lands coinciding with the Christian expansion in Spain. Additionally, the introduction of firearms and artillery of which there are numerous remains on the walls of the castle in the form of loopholes as well as many bollards or cannonballs make the castle significantly less impregnable than in prior centuries. As the castle’s importance waned, its ownership flipped multiple times over the ensuing decades. The last occupants of Zorita Castle were the Duke of Pastrana and his wife, the Princess of Eboli. They made improvements to the castle, but its heyday was in the past. In 1723, their descendants sold the castle to the Count of San Rafael but at this point, it was largely an abandoned ruin.

With the arrival of AFAR, excavations and preservation projects were launched to not only learn more about the site, but also to transform the castle into a local landmark. Over the last 9 years, the AFAR team removed layer upon layer of dirt and rubbish and gradually unveiled elements of the castle including a crusader cemetery, a keep, a cistern, a tower, a Crusader church and several other areas. AFAR is dedicated to preserving sites and has rebuilt portions of the castle to not only be historically accurate, but also accessible to guests.

During AFAR’s excavations, multiple subterranean chambers were located and the debris was removed to allow them to be seen and studied in their entirety. But there were always rumors of more rooms hidden underneath the castle. In fact, Dionisio Munoz , the ninety some year-old mayor of Zorita in 2014, shared that as a young boy, he played hide and seek in the rooms underneath the castle with his friends. Knowing there was more to uncover, AFAR lead by Mat Saunders and the onsite archaeologists, Dr. Dionisio Urbina and Catalina Urquijo, always sought an opportunity to use Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to get a view of what might be right below their feet.

In January, a call came from Valencia University. They were able to dedicate a two-person team to scan Zorita’s ground for additional structures. Ground penetrating radar is a technology utilizing radar waves to identify structures and caverns below the surface. Depending on the condition of the surface and the composition of the soil, GPR is a tremendous way to reduce excavation projects by essentially putting a big X where teams should excavate. With this offer in hand, Mat Saunders and Dave Hamme of AFAR jumped at the opportunity to be present at the castle while the study was conducted. What secrets might Zorita still harbor?

Taking Archaeology to the next level at Zorita Castle (Part 1 of 3)