An important part of Valldemossa's ancient history is contained in the archives of the American archaeologist William Waldren, whose widow has ceded these to the town hall.
Waldren, who died in 2003 aged 79, came to Majorca in the early 1950s and to Deya specifically. He was to receive a doctorate in archaeology from Oxford University in 1975, but when he first arrived on the island he had no qualifications or experience. Nevertheless, he was instrumental in the founding of Deya's Archaeology Museum in 1962 and he was to undertake significant excavations in Valldemossa, such as those of Son Matge and Son Olesa.
From these excavations, pottery was discovered at Son Matge in 1999. This was confirmed as having come from the Neolithic period in the first half of the third millennium before Christ, so some five thousand years ago.
He also undertook excavations at the Son Mas sanctuary in the Pla del Rei. The oldest remains found there date from 2170BC. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the sanctuary was used from pre-Talayotic times.
Valldemossa's councillor for culture, heritage and education, Dídac Alcalà, says that the archives provide an abundance of audiovisual material as well as data and numerous studies. The town hall is very grateful for the donation, for which an inventory is now being made to allow the archived material to be at the disposal of researchers.