- The Puig de sa Morisca Archaeological Park will host a historical reenactment dedicated to 13th-century Mallorca on Tuesday, September 1st, accompanied by children's activities
- The programme will conclude on Thursday, September 3rd, with a lecture by Tomàs Vibot on the figure of King Jaume I, between history and legend
As part of the Rei En Jaume Festivities in Santa Ponça, the Puig de sa Morisca Archaeological Park is offering a unique opportunity this year to explore the conquest and transformations of 13th-century Mallorca through various forms of heritage dissemination: historical reenactment, hands-on experiences, games, and scientific outreach.
The main new feature will be the activity "1231: From Al-Mayurqa to the Crown of Aragon," which will take place on Tuesday, September 1st, from 5:30 to 8:00 pm, presented by the Podenco Blanco Association. This event will offer a direct approach to different aspects of 13th-century Mallorcan society through the recreation of textiles, ceramics, clothing, and weaponry.
Historical reenactment is a particularly powerful tool for disseminating heritage, as it transforms data provided by archaeology, written sources, and iconography into a tangible and understandable experience for the public. Objects cease to be isolated items in a display case and instead help explain how people dressed, what objects they used, how they were made, and what role they played in daily life.
The participation of Podenco Blanco also marks the beginning of a collaborative relationship that the Puig de sa Morisca Archaeological Park and the association intend to continue developing. The aim is to jointly explore the possibilities of historical reenactment as a tool for interpreting and disseminating heritage, combining historical and documentary rigor, experimentation, and the ability to generate meaningful experiences for the public.
Children's activities
Between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m., the day will be rounded out with children's workshops for boys and girls aged 3 to 12, inspired by objects and images from medieval Mallorca. Participants will be able to create their own fantastic animal—from griffins, unicorns, and other creatures of medieval imaginary—and make it the emblem on their shield, an activity linked to the small pendant with a winged griffin recovered from the Puig de sa Morisca Islamic rooms. They will also be able to decorate a plate inspired by medieval green and manganese ceramics.
Micro-exhibition: Dins una casa islàmica del s. XIII: vida, foc i memòria (Inside a 13th-century Islamic house: life, fire, and memory)
During the day, the public will also be able to visit the micro-exhibition: Dins una casa islàmica del s. XIII: vida, foc i memòria, which remains on display in the window of the restoration laboratory. The exhibition brings together materials from an Islamic house excavated at Puig de sa Morisca and also allows visitors to discover how archaeological objects are recovered and restored.
From chronicles to legend
The programme will continue on Thursday, September 3, at 7:00 p.m., with the lecture Calvià y el rey Jaume I: de las crónicas a la leyenda (Calvià and King Jaume I: From chronicles to legend), presented by writer and researcher Tomàs Vibot.
The lecture will offer an approach to the figure of King Jaume I and the conquest of Mallorca through the dialogue between historical events, their account in medieval chronicles, and the subsequent construction of the legend. This perspective is particularly linked to Calvià and Santa Ponça, where the memory of the conquest has become a prominent part of the cultural heritage and collective imagination.
With these activities, the Puig de sa Morisca Archaeological Park joins the King James Festival once again this year with a programme that goes beyond the narrative of the conquest, bringing the public closer to the people, objects, practices, and research that allow us to understand medieval Mallorca.
Programme
Tuesday, September 1
5:30–8:00 p.m. — 1231: From Al-Mayurqa to the Crown of Aragon
Historical reenactment of 13th-century Mallorca: textiles, ceramics, and weapons.
Presented by the Associació Podenco Blanco.
6:00–8:00 p.m. — Children's activities
Fantastic animals and medieval shields, and green and manganese ceramic decoration. Children's workshops for children aged 3 to 12.
During the day — Micro-exhibition
Inside a 13th-century Islamic house XIII: life, fire and memory
Thursday September 3
7 p.m. — Calvià and King Jaume I: from chronicles to legend
Conference by Tomàs Vibot.