Departamento de Arqueologia

Some rock carving cases located in
the modern-contemporary period, are disclosed,
since they are identified outdoors, with the
purpose to participate in studies concerning the
environmental impact of certain projects located
in the limestones massifs of Sicó-Alvaiázere
and of Estremadura. Researchers are then
motivated to consider the presence of such rock
carvings in limestone holder, namely, the cases
mentioned before, but also with the possible
association with windmill exploration.

Since 2002, within the context of the Wind Farm Project in the Pinhal Interior (Generg Group), systematic archaeological surveys have been undertaken in upland areas of the central massif, south of the River Zêzere in the Tagus river basin.
The area in question (in the county of Oleiros, district of Castelo Branco) takes in the upper valley of the River Sertã, and is bordered to the south by the Serra do Cabeço Rainha (Serra de Alvélos), to the north by the Serra de Vermelha and to the east by the Serra do Moradal.
This paper presents the results of findings made in the context of environmental studies for the Wind Farm Project, focusing upon sites that could possibly be from Recent Prehistory. These include circular structures of various shapes and forms, built upon artificial mounds (tombs), and rock engravings.
Special attention is given to the results of the already completed excavation of a small structure (Vale de Mós I). Mounds at two other sites (Selada do Cavalo and Feiteiras, also located in the Serra Vermelha) are still undergoing excavation.
The archaeological intervention at Vale de Mós I has revealed a circular constructed mound in a reasonable state of conservation, consisting of an outer embankment (outer ring) made of earth and small fragments of calibrated quartz. Next to this embankment is an inner ring formed of a series of schist slabs laid out radially, mostly lying down and leaning slightly towards the centre. Inside the monument is a broad cairn, consisting of two levels of schist slabs and blocks, mostly laid out horizontally in an orderly fashion, and filling the central space. A small ceramic fragment was collected from the base of the outer ring, corresponding to a handmade vessel, possibly dating from the Chalcolithic or Bronze Age periods. From the slabs of the inner stone ring, we also collected earth, charcoal and a seed, which have been submitted for palaeoenvironmental (pollinic and carpological) testing and radiometric dating.
The results of these tests are still pending.

Under the Registration of cultural heritage in
processes of environmental impact assessment, the
attention is focused on defining the universe of
cultural objects. It is argued that the prospectors
should include in their work the greatest possible
diversity of types of occurrences, of an archaeological
nature, but also architectural and ethnographic. It
is, therefore, considered that the public list of the
types of sites must be maintained as a minimum list,
open to the inclusion of new typologies. For
pedagogical purpose, are given some examples of
less common typologies which are insufficiently or
not represented at all in the public data base or in
the typological referendum. The examples are
presented by alphabetical order (in portuguese) as
follows: natural shelters; old trees; battlefields;
passageways; wolf trapping pits; traps; caves; limit
marks; handmade stone shelters, handmade curved
stone shelters;appiary walls, towpath walls,
oscillating boulders, wood structure for fishing tools
storage.
Some aspects related to the implementation of the
Register of cultural heritage are discussed.

O Projecto Eólico do Pinhal Interior (Grupo Generg) viabilizou, a partir do ano de 2002, a execução de prospecções arqueológicas sistemáticas em diversos relevos do Maciço
Central, a Sul do rio Zêzere, no distrito de Castelo Branco, e maioritariamente no território pertencente ao concelho de Oleiros. Essa pesquisa incidiu nas serras que enquadram o vale
superior da ribeira da Sertã, Vermelha, Alvélos e Moradal
Apresentam-se os resultados das descobertas efectuadas no âmbito de estudos ambientais do Projecto Eólico, com destaque para os sítios atribuíveis à Pré-História Recente, em
especial estruturas sob montículo artificial, de geometria circular e apreciável diversidade morfo-estrutural (tumuli) e gravuras rupestres.
Destacam-se os resultados da escavação, já concluída, de uma pequena estrutura (Vale de Mós I), estando a decorrer trabalhos de escavação de montículos em dois outros locais
(Selada do Cavalo e Feiteiras), também situados na Serra Vermelha.
A identificação, em simultâneo, de tumuli e de grafias rupestres nesta região montanhosa da Beira Interior Sul representa uma nova faceta no conhecimento do seu povoamento durante a Pré-História Recente.

Os trabalhos de prospecção no âmbito do Descritor
Património Arqueológico, Arquitectónico e
Etnológico do Estudo de Impacte Ambiental do
Circuito Baleizão-Quintos e respectivo Bloco de
Rega (EDIA – Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infraestruturas
do Alqueva, SA) revelaram uma série de
novas ocorrências patrimoniais. No presente artigo
iremos tratar especificamente do caso de uma cvpa
possivelmente anepígrafa, surgida nos ditos
trabalhos de prospecção. Pretendemos assim, expor
as conclusões mais plausíveis e verosímeis,
decorrentes não só dos ditos trabalhos de
prospecção, mas também passíveis de obter através
de uma pesquisa bibliográfica acerca da mesma e
suas congéneres tipológicas. A ausência de
formulários e gravação de caracteres não sustenta
qualquer proposta de integração cronológica do
arquétipo do Monte do Sardão.