Alcaucin information
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.
Malaga province
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