Thanks to the acquisition by the Cirne Foundation of an original document dated from 1629, it is better known how the watch towers located in different parts of the coast, which are currently privatized or unused, work.
This document of 38 pages, found on the Internet, was owned by an antiquary from the Basque Country, as commented by the president of the Cirne Foundation, Enric Martínez, and Antoni Espinós. "In his writings the name, surname, age and description are detailed, since there was no photo of each of the people who worked in the surveillance of the Xàbia towers" , the members of Cirne comment.
Now, the Foundation makes this document available to researchers so that they can provide more data once they have been studied. "Although in the first lines we can see that it is dated after the expulsion of the Moors and the arrival of people from the Balearic Islands. Perhaps palaeographic studies, topography, etc., can provide a better knowledge of the time", says Espinós.
The file is titled List of people on foot who serve in the towers of the coast of Xàbia from 1629 until the day that the service lashes. The document gives account of the then demanderer, Juan Bas and the position of general seer carried out Vicente Carroz, Count of Sirac and gentleman of the order of Alcántara.
According to this unpublished archive, the existing watchtowers were: Sant Antón (Cape of Sant Antoni), Mesquides (the current port), Castell de Sant Martí (El Arenal), Cap Prim, Descobridor (Portitxol) and the Branca (Ambolo).
The president of Cirne has stressed that the document can have many historical readings and that the first study could be paleographic. Transcribing all the annotations, which are difficult for laymen to read, would be the first step to begin deciphering this historical jewel acquired by the Xàbia Foundation.
