Before the arrival of the Muslims, the hills of the Axarquia were populated by other civilizations. In the prehistory, our ancestors were living in this land plenty of wealth and resources, Some of the finds done in this area have been really important. In Alcaucin, located in the area known as Boquete de Zafarraya, they have found remains of Neanderthals. This discovery has given birth to a new concept known as Hombre de Zafarraya. The life traces of those prehistoric men in the Axarquia are found in archaeological site of Pena del Hierro in Cutar, where there are remains of a settlement and of an old necropolis. There are also some signs of the Palaeolithic in Llanos de Herrera and in the banks of river Guaro in Vinuela. We can also see some Neolithic traces, but less important, in the defile of river Sabar in Alfarnatejo. From this period there are also some traces in Cerro del Fuerte in Periana, Cueva de las Pulseras in Colmenar and 7a;os de Gomer in Riogordo, where there are some traces of the Bronze Age in Cerro Capellania as well, The time and the sea brought the Phoenicians to the Axarquia but also to the rest of Malaga where they settle down. There have been found many Phoenician necropolises such as Necropolis de Trayamar, one of the most relevant Phoenician sites on the West, in Algarrobo and Las Tumbas de la Sierra del Rey in Riogordo. In this last village there are as well traces of Roman Villas close to Castillo de Aute that together with the brigde or river Salares are two of the little traces founded here of the Roman Empire.