Los Zancarrones: Archaeology and Landscape

Discover archaeological traces, historic routes and the landscape history of the Embalse de Algeciras in Los Zancarrones. For a culture-focused stay, you can distinguish between different layers of time: the Eneolithic site of Alto de los Zancarrones, the rural settlement of Cabezo de los Moros from the Almoravid period, and the more recent changes around the reservoir. The Rambla de Algeciras and the Sendero de la Fuente del Borrego add to this picture.

Archaeology and Settlement History

The archaeological site of Alto de los Zancarrones dates from the Eneolithic period. Cabezo de los Moros, in the Las Ramblillas area near the hamlet of Los Zancarrones, represents a much later period. A rural settlement from the Almoravid period once stood there. Its economy was based on both dryland and irrigated agriculture. The settlement remained inhabited until the Almohad conquest of Murcia around 1172. This contrast in dates takes you from a very early archaeological site to a much later settlement phase, without conflating their distinct historical contexts.

Another piece of evidence is a hand-operated rotary millstone listed in the Museo Arqueológico Los Baños. It comes from Cabezo de los Moros near the hamlet of Los Zancarrones, at the Rambla de Algeciras, and was recovered during an archaeological survey in 1987. Its provenance and year of discovery place the object in the history of the local area: the stone is linked to the named site, while the survey marks when it was recovered. Sites with a chronology extending from prehistory to the 20th century have also been documented in the archaeological area around the Rambla de Algeciras.

The Rambla de Algeciras connected the Guadalentín/Sangonera Valley with the Sierra Espuña and the Mula Basin. This connection broadens the perspective beyond individual archaeological sites to encompass a link between the valley, the mountains and the basin. The historic landscape can therefore be considered both in terms of settlement and of the connections between these areas.

Routes and Landscape Nearby

The Sendero de la Fuente del Borrego follows an old cart track that linked Alhama with the Los Zancarrones area near the Fuente del Murtal. The route runs along forest tracks and a well-built path between reforestation terraces. Its origins and surface offer two different points of reference: the historic connection reflects the link between Alhama and the Los Zancarrones area, while the description of the surface gives a concrete impression of the route between the terraces.

The Barrancos de Gebas are nearby. Known for their badlands, they are classified as a Site of Geological Interest (LIG); the area was designated a protected landscape in 1995. There is a signposted viewpoint with information panels at the ravines. It is accessible by motor vehicle and has visitor parking. This provides both information about the landscape and practical visitor details for this nearby destination.

The Embalse de Algeciras is also part of the area’s landscape history: a rural settlement once stood near the present-day houses of Los Zancarrones, and now lies beneath the waters of the reservoir built in 1995. In the surrounding landscape, 1995 marks two distinct events: the construction of the Embalse de Algeciras and the designation of the Barrancos de Gebas as a protected landscape. Together, these historical and landscape themes offer different ways to understand Los Zancarrones and its surroundings.

Discover more destinations: Gañuelas, El Moral, Puerto Lumbreras, Mula, El Salado, Las Moreras, Aledo, Campos Del Río.

For the wider travel overview: Murcia.