Pollensa work halted following discovery of human remains

Kika Coll, the director for heritage, says that the work on C. Carritx has been halted pending formal notification from Pollensa town hall of the contracting of an archaeologist for control of the work. This takes into account the previous discovery of human remains by the old fish market building on the Plaça Major.

Work on this building unearthed the remains of a Muslim cemetery. In addition to the remains of seven people (two of them minors), excavations in 2019 revealed ceramics and coins from the Byzantine and Muslim eras.

As no significant structures were found, the work was allowed to continue once the skeletons were removed. The town hall's project is for a new building and for cobble surfaces for streets in the centre of Pollensa, including Càrritx. At the end of last year, Junts Avançam, the main opposition group at the town hall, warned the administration that the paving project required archaeological control. Junts also filed a complaint with the Council of Mallorca's heritage department.

Mayor Tomeu Cifre says that an archaeologist was appointed before starting the work and that surveys were carried out. Notification of the appointment of the archaeologist was delivered to the heritage department "by hand", so that there would be proof. Cifre insists that the work has not stopped, "but we considered it the right thing to do". As the archaeologist was not at the site on Friday, there won't be a resumption of work, according to the mayor, until Monday.