Vall d'Ebo - History

Vall d'Ebo / Val de Ebo - History
This area has long been inhabited by Man. There are cave paintings from palaeolithic times in the "Cova del Reinos" and examples on "Levantine art" from 1800 BC in the Cova de les Torrudanes.

Despite the long occupation of this area by the Moors, the origin of the name Ebo is considered to be pre-moorish. However during the time of the Moors it is said that there were 7 villages in this valley (according to an Historian Cavanilles writing in 1795). Some present day ruins can be identified as belonging to these ancient settlements. (See map right - dated 1751 - source Arqebisbat de Valencia)

Benicais : This name is not known in the area and its ruins have disappeared, however to the west of Vall D'Ebo there is a smll mountain called "la muntanyeta" where there are walls dating from this period. This could be Benicais.
Serra: dispersed walls of a castle and settlement
Benisuai: The name of a square close to the edge of Val D'Ebo; probably close to Val D'Ebo, almost adjoining,
Millans: Unknown location,
Cairiola: This consists of three or four large corrals.
Benessit :corral, beneath the peak of the same name
La Solana: dispersed corrals at the foot of the Sierra del la Solana; original moorish name not known (could have been Millans, see above),
Vall D'Ebo

At the time of the Treaty of Pouet (1244 ) Ebo was handed over to Al Ashraq . After the expulsion of the Moors in 1609 the valley was repopulated by people from Mallorca as evidenced by the family names: Mengual, Frau, Mas , Llodra, Masanet

Sources: Las Montañas de Alicante - Antonio Calero Pico 1987 ; Val D'Ebo web site (link opens in new browser windw)