Covalta - Albaida

It is located between the province of Alicante and Valencia, in which it separates the valley of Albaida from the valleta de Agres. It occupies the highest portion on a plateau of 320m long by about 100m wide, 880m high in the Sierra de Agullent, N of the Sierra de Mariola. Inaccessible by the N and the O, and difficult access by the S and E on the road from Muro to Bocairente. Between Muro and Agres, on the right is the Monte de la Covalta Visit. The plant of the town that have revealed the excavations is located in the northern part. The town would have two entrances one east and one west. There is no urbanized plan and the rooms are arranged without apparent order. At the west gate were excavated remains of a wall of 1.75 m wide and 7 long that limited access between the rocky escarpments. The east door opened at the north end of the wall, 3 meters thick. Room remains were excavated, with only the foundations of the walls, with a total of 83 rectangular apartments, with sizes between just over 1 and 20 m2. The stone walls would be completed with adobe, which has been lost, and frameworks of reeds and mud would be covered. On its inner side the walls would be plastered with lime. The houses were separated by narrow alleys, sometimes half a meter. Some reservoirs have been identified for water collection, although less developed than in the town of Mecca. This town of the Contestania would be related to other Iberian sites in the area such as Puig and Serreta, in Alcoy, El Cabezo de Mariola in AlfafaraLLoma de Galbis in Bocairente. The necropolis has not been located. History of discoveries. The excavation of the site took place between 1906 and 1919, and was directed by Isidro Ballester Tormo. The terrain was terraced in medieval and modern times for cultivation, which led to the destruction of the Iberian settlement, so that only room funds were excavated.