0288 - Visiting Fraga da Pena

A group of german archaeologists and students of Archaeology (headed by Michael Kunst and guided by me) visiting the Fraga da Pena walled enclosure in 2008.

Some took some risks to photograph a painting preserved in one of the rocks of the granitic tor.

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.

0286 - Excavations at Perdigões enclosure

The pre applications for participating in 2015 Perdigões archaeological excavations promoted by ERA Arqueologia are open. The application file can be download at http://www.nia-era.org/publicacoes/doc_download/84-ficha-inscrcao-perd-2015

Information about the participation conditions and time schedules are in that file (in Portuguese. If information in English is needed please request it by mail to antoniovalera@era-arqueologia.pt).

0285 - They keep appearing

Some possible new ditched enclosures were identified in Google Earth.

Sub-circular enclosure in Mourão municipality.

One seems to correspond to a single ditch enclosure, while the other site seems to present a larger circular enclosure and nearby two more, of smaller size: one possible sinuous ditch slightly overlapped by a small double ditched circular enclosure in the west side.

Possible assemblage of enclosures at north of Beja.

This situation of proximity of different enclosures is becoming more frequent, and a paper that documents that situation through excavation is just coming out (Valera, Ramos e Castanheira, 2015). Situations that probably document the periodic use of a same area with a successive abandonment and construction of enclosures.

References

Valera, A.C., Ramos, R. e Castanehira, P. (2015), “Os recintos de fossos de Coelheira 2 (Santa Vitória, Beja)”, Apontamentos de Arqueologia e Património, 10, Lisboa, NIA-ERA, p.33-45.

0284 - Combining Google with field work

At Horta Nova 4 it was possible to excavate part of a ditch (by Era Company, for EDIA S.A.). Now, when we overlap the drawing and the (treated) Google image we can perceive the enclosure. And just 50 meters SE there is the small one also detected in the image of Bing Maps (and initially confused with the one in excavation, that is bigger).

0283 – Horta Nova 4

Recut section of the ditch.

The excavation of the ditched enclosure of Horta Nova 4 (Alvito) continues. The evidences of recuttings are several now, but not all present the same characteristics.

The site is located in a top of a smooth hill, just over the confluence of two streams. Through a satellite image we can see that it is a sub-circular enclosure, with more than one ditch. 

The smooth hill where the enclosure is located.

Two treated aerial images where another possible enclosure can be perceived just next to the fields division.

0282 – Excavating a small ditch enclosure

Today I was helping to define a recutting of the ditch sediments in a restricted area, filled with small stones, at Horta Nova 4 (excavations of Era Arqueologia SA for Edia SA.). A practice there is present in several ditched enclosures, that can only be recorded correctly when the approach is in area and not through small sections. The fact that a large trajectory of the ditch is affected helps this approach.

Some pottery sherds indicate that this recutting is from Late Neolithic.