In a Spanish Cave, Five Roman Inscriptions Name a Goddess, Domina, and Several Include Female Names

Researchers from the University of Alicante have recorded more than 120 Latin inscriptions in Cova de les Dones, the “Cave of the Women,” near Millares in Valencia, Spain. Five of them are votive inscriptions that refer to a goddess called Domina, “the Lady.” Several others include female names. The team calls the group the largest known set of Latin inscriptions from a cave sanctuary in the Roman Empire. That is the team’s own claim, and nobody has verified it independently.

A chamber more than 200 metres underground

The inscribed chamber lies more than 200 metres underground. The researchers call it the “Roman Sanctuary.” When the university first reported the site in January 2025, researchers had counted at least 15 Roman inscriptions and found a coin from the reign of the Emperor Claudius left as an offering. The new count is more than 120. Most date to the 1st and 2nd centuries CE.

Who was Domina?

Five votive inscriptions mention Domina. Three more contain the word “MALACI,” an unknown title or name linked to the goddess. The team is still working out what MALACI means. The title might relate to water, and small natural pools on the cave floor suggest water likely played a role in the rituals.

Objects left behind

The 2026 campaign recorded two rings, a bracelet, cup-shaped vessels, spindle whorls, pottery fragments and animal remains. The Roman coin found in 2024 belongs to the same group.

A planned place of worship?

The cave’s location and the way the inscriptions cluster point to a planned place of worship rather than occasional visits. That is an interpretation. Many inscriptions still need close study, and the team has not fully surveyed much of the cave.

Source: University of Alicante (news release, January 2025), and Archaeology News Online Magazine (21 August 2026), which cites a July 2026 University of Alicante news item. The 2026 count comes from the research team and has no peer-reviewed paper attached yet.