0287 – Paper on enclosures of Coelheira 2

It has just got out the paper on the Coelhrira 2 ditched enclosures. 

Plan of the ditched enclosures of Coelheira 2.

Here is the abstract:

“The present paper presents the results of a rescue archaeological excavation done by Omniknos Company for EDIA S.A. in the context of the water supply network of Alqueva dam. In this intervention two small ditched enclosures, one possible hypogeum and several pits were identified, the majority dating from the Chalcolithic, as well as two cists dating from Bronze Age. The several features are characterized in their morphology and fillings and a typological study of pottery is presented. In the end some issues regarding the Recent Prehistory small circular enclosures (in which the two of Coelheira 2 can be integrated) that are appearing in Alentejo region are analyzed.”


The paper can be downloaded here.

0277 – A ditch for a palisade

This is how the filling of a ditch for a palisade looks like. 

A level of stones and others of clay by the interior and the dark sediment in the outside part of the ditch, where the wood must have been. And practically no archaeological materials inside. It is Coelheira 3, near Santa Vitória, Beja, South Portugal. Excavated by the company Omniknos  (for EDIA), it will be published soon in Apontamentos de Arqueologia e Património nº10, 2015.

0272 – Paper on Coelheira 2

These are images of one of the two “twin” (?) enclosures of Coelheira 2 (Beja district). 

The site was partially excavated by Omniknos company (field direction of Rui Ramos) in the context of mitigating Archaeology. The data is now under study and a publication will be out soon. This is a very interesting site, with some new and specific characteristics, that deserved a more thoughtful approach by those that define what is “mitigating” negative impacts in archaeological sites.

0209 – Updating Coelheira 2/3

The sections are almost excavated. The ditches sizes and fillings suggest they are palisade ditches. But the interesting thing is that it is not one enclosure with two ditches, as previously suspected, but two enclosures side by side, just a few meters distant from each other.

Enclosure A.

Enclosure B. The two sections excavated. In the right one we can see an interruption corresponding to a gate, as usually facing east.

0202 - New enclosures under excavation (2)

The internal enclosure of the new site near Santa Vitória (Beja). Photo from Rui Ramos.

0201 – New enclosures under excavation (1)

A new ditched enclosure is being excavated in Alentejo, near Santa Vitória (Beja), by the company Omniknos, directed by Rui Ramos..

At least four sections of ditches will be cut by a water pipeline, possibly corresponding to three different structures. They are being defined and one of them is clearly sinuous, adding another site to the already long list of Portuguese ditched enclosures with sinuous ditches.

By the material associated, they must be from the 3^rd millennium BC, but one of the ditches is cut by a Bronze Age cist. Believing the locals, a necropolis of cists in this area has been destroyed over time by farmers.

To Southeast, maybe 300/400 meters there is a funerary Chalcolithic hypogeum, where three pits are connected by internal passages. Between the hypogeum and the enclosures there are some pits, some of them from Bronze Age.

This is a quite interesting new site.