The cooperative agreement between Hispanofil and the Atapuerca Foundation mainly involves technical assistance and thee electrical and telecommunications equipment provided by the company to enable the archeological team to carry out its work under the best possible conditions. Hispanofil is the foundation’s official supplier in this effort at preserving Europe’s archeological heritage.
Hispanofil—working to enhance understanding of archeological sites
Communicating is a constant necessity on archeological digs like the ones at Atapuerca, which are spread out over uneven ground. In 2002, Hispanofil provided the foundation with a full suite of communications equipment to facilitate the work of the excavation team. The Spanish company installed a latest-generation telephone relay station that runs on solar energy. The solar-powered radio communications equipment was enhanced this year in two ways:
- A second regenerative repeater* was introduced, thus making two communication channels available at all times.
- Energy input was raised by adding another panel and battery to ensure service continuity.
The project was developed and implemented by José Manuel Valenciaga, a major telecom expert at Hispanofil Reinosa, José Antonio López and Rodrigo Martínez in the Technology Department.
The Atapuerca archeological sites
The six archeological sites are located near Burgos at an altitude of 3,540 feet. Their most striking feature is that they are virtually the only sites in Europe that make it possible to retrace the entire evolution in lifestyles from the first hominids to the present, spanning some 1 million years of human settlement.
In the past 20 years, more than 30 cavities have been discovered, including about a dozen containing significant archaeological and palaeontological deposits. A magnetic and geophysical prospecting program has been initiated with the aim of uncovering further sites.
Luis Arconada, Hispanofil managing director, hopes that this development will enable the Atapuerca teams to go on communicating effectively. For four years now, this system powered by renewable energy in a protected environment has experienced no malfunctions.
Hispanofil
Subsidiary of Sonepar Ibérica
Registered office: Burgos
Workforce: 224
Branches: 19
Visit the Atapuerca Foundation’s website:
http://www.ucm.es/info/paleo/ata/portada.htm
* A regenerative repeater is an electronic device used to amplify digital signals.
