Hidden Arabic paintings uncovered

WORKS on the restoration of a chapel have uncovered evidence it may once have been a mosque.

In the suburbs of Huercal-Overa , the small town of Overa contains some archeology of cultural interest such as the Castle of Overa although with the passing of time the area has never been investigated in depth.

Now, the restoration of the chapel of Santa Barbara has unearthed a find of great value.

Following fund raising events from the people of Overa enough money was raised to start work on the little chapel.

It was during the restoration of the roof that one of the members of ‘Overa Viva’ visited the site and discovered the wonders that were situated on the inside of the roof.

Drawings, paintings and a frieze point to the possibility of an old Arabic mosque. The next phase is for the town hall to buy the land, which at the moment is privately owned.

After contacting the culture department of the Junta de Andalucia various professionals have visited the chapel to evaluate the importance of the find.

While Overa waits for the situation to be resolved, the Junta will make further investigations in September to evaluate whether the area is worthy of extra work for its protection and restoration.