Castro Of Zambujal
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The Castro of Zambujal () is a
Chalcolithic The Chalcolithic ( ) (also called the Copper Age and Eneolithic) was an archaeological period characterized by the increasing use of smelted copper. It followed the Neolithic and preceded the Bronze Age. It occurred at different periods in di ...
age archeological site in the municipality of
Torres Vedras Torres Vedras () is a concelho, municipality in the Portugal, Portuguese district of Lisbon (district), Lisbon, approximately north of the capital Lisbon. It is a strong agricultural region thanks to its vineyards, and has an intense commercial ...
in the western litoral area of the
Centro Region The Central Region (, ) or Central Portugal is one of the statistical regions of Portugal. The cities with major administrative status inside this region are Coimbra, Aveiro, Viseu, Leiria, Castelo Branco and Guarda. It is one of the seven Regi ...
, Portugal. The Zambujal Castro is one of the most important
Copper Age The Chalcolithic ( ) (also called the Copper Age and Eneolithic) was an archaeological period characterized by the increasing use of smelted copper. It followed the Neolithic and preceded the Bronze Age. It occurred at different periods in dif ...
settlements in the peninsula of Lisbon, and whose culture lasted until the beginning of the agrarian periods of Iberian history. Apart from being the most northerly discovered Copper Age site in Portugal, it went through two main building phases: an import-oriented phase and the second associated with the
Beaker culture The Bell Beaker culture, also known as the Bell Beaker complex or Bell Beaker phenomenon, is an archaeological culture named after the inverted-bell Beaker (archaeology), beaker drinking vessel used at the beginning of the European Bronze Age, ...
. Most of the artefacts discovered at the site are stored and displayed in the Leonel Trindade Municipal Museum, Torres Vedras.


Excavations

The site was discovered and interpreted in 1932 by the Portuguese archaeologist Leonel Trindade, who made the first investigation in 1944 and, together with Aurélio Ricardo Belo, in 1959–1961. From 1964 until the present, excavations have mainly been financed by the German Archaeological Institute of Madrid. Excavations from 1964 to 1973 were directed by Hermanfrid Schubart (
German Archaeological Institute The German Archaeological Institute (, ''DAI'') is a research institute in the field of archaeology (and other related fields). The DAI is a "federal agency" under the Federal Foreign Office, Federal Foreign Office of Germany. Status, tasks and ...
) and Edward Sangmeister (
University of Freiburg The University of Freiburg (colloquially ), officially the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (), is a public university, public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The university was founded in 1 ...
). In 1994–1995 new work at the site was started by Michael Kunst (
German Archaeological Institute The German Archaeological Institute (, ''DAI'') is a research institute in the field of archaeology (and other related fields). The DAI is a "federal agency" under the Federal Foreign Office, Federal Foreign Office of Germany. Status, tasks and ...
) and Hans-Peter Uerpmann (
University of Tübingen The University of Tübingen, officially the Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen (; ), is a public research university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The University of Tübingen is one of eleven German Excellenc ...
). With the support of the Municipal Council of Torres Vedras, Kunst has continued the excavations.


History

The site was first occupied in the
Chalcolithic The Chalcolithic ( ) (also called the Copper Age and Eneolithic) was an archaeological period characterized by the increasing use of smelted copper. It followed the Neolithic and preceded the Bronze Age. It occurred at different periods in di ...
period, at the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. Research of the last 30 years suggest that the region of the actual Portuguese Estremadura in Central Portugal was the region where the “
Bell Beaker The Bell Beaker culture, also known as the Bell Beaker complex or Bell Beaker phenomenon, is an archaeological culture named after the inverted-bell Beaker (archaeology), beaker drinking vessel used at the beginning of the European Bronze Age, ...
” phenomenon started, around the middle of the 3rd millennium BC, and from there spread to other European regions during the later Chalcolithic or early
Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
. Zambujal from this period is relatively well conserved, some walls still standing up to a height of 4 meters, and is one of the most important sites with extensive stratigraphy. The site and surrounding land was specifically tied to a
chalcolithic The Chalcolithic ( ) (also called the Copper Age and Eneolithic) was an archaeological period characterized by the increasing use of smelted copper. It followed the Neolithic and preceded the Bronze Age. It occurred at different periods in di ...
settlement that constructed a wall around itself to protect its community from attack. The settlers, who may have been from the peninsula but perhaps with Eastern Mediterranean contacts, based their economy on
intensive farming Intensive agriculture, also known as intensive farming (as opposed to extensive farming), conventional, or industrial agriculture, is a type of agriculture, both of arable farming, crop plants and of Animal husbandry, animals, with higher levels ...
. They were also part of an economic network importing commodities like gold, copper,
amphibolite Amphibolite () is a metamorphic rock that contains amphibole, especially hornblende and actinolite, as well as plagioclase feldspar, but with little or no quartz. It is typically dark-colored and dense, with a weakly foliated or schistose ...
stone, and ivory between 3000 and 1700 BC. Based on the excavations and analysis of Sangmeister, Schubart, and Trindade (1969), the site went through several successive phases of occupation and development: * construction of "soft walls", relatively straight, yet, narrow channels, with the fortifications developing in sections; * reinforcement of the northern gateway, through the construction of new soft bastions, and reinforcement of sections; * reinforcement of all walls, construction of small semi-circular towers, and sections; * fortification of the walls, construction of large semi-circular towers, completed in sections; * free-form walls constructed using small slabs, the construction of projecting
barbican A barbican (from ) is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway, such as at an outer defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes. Europe Medieval Europeans typically b ...
s, also completed in sections; * constructed of massive buildings surrounding the structure; * towers covered by cupolas developed in the interior, rounded spaces, while the fortifications were reinforced, around 1700 BC Although uncertain as to the date, the fortification was partially destroyed (principally the central structures) to construct a rural adobe farmhouse (today known as the ''Casal do Zambujal'').


Architecture

The site is located in the semi-rural area of the parish of
Santa Maria do Castelo e São Miguel Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Christma ...
, along one of the flanks of the Serra do Varatojo mountain range. Situated on a platform, the location extends down towards the Sizandro River, approximately from the urban center of Torres Vedras. Only the central part of the original fortification remains. The interior courtyard includes a space approximately diameter, circled by a solid wall, which runs independently for several metres. The exterior is reinforced by 10 turrets with diameters varying between and in a semi-circular layout; four are complete, one is partly complete, and the remaining five are completely destroyed. The walls themselves range from to in width and to in height. There are four doors within the structure (south, north, northeast and west), with the likelihood that six doors or passageways provided access to the courtyard between the fortifications inner and outer walls. These passages were short and narrow and permitted only one person at a time from accessing the spaces, likely on all-fours. One of the spaces connects the battlement's gallery and these passages. The houses on-site were oval shaped, approximately in diameter, and made from
adobe Adobe (from arabic: الطوب Attub ; ) is a building material made from earth and organic materials. is Spanish for mudbrick. In some English-speaking regions of Spanish heritage, such as the Southwestern United States, the term is use ...
.


Current projects

To prevent further ruin of the archaeology, the Municipal Council of Torres Vedras acquired 48 hectares to guarantee the protection of the national monument in 2006. The Portuguese Institute of Architectural Patrimony and Archaeology (IPPAR) has an architectural project to restore the adobe houses adjacent to the site, as well as a landscaping project, which included fencing the site, creating greenspaces, and the construction of support facilities, walkways, trails, explanatory signs, and a small museum.


See also

*
Bell Beaker culture The Bell Beaker culture, also known as the Bell Beaker complex or Bell Beaker phenomenon, is an archaeological culture named after the inverted-bell beaker drinking vessel used at the beginning of the European Bronze Age, arising from around ...
*
Castro of Vila Nova de São Pedro The Castro of Vila Nova de São Pedro is a Chalcolithic archaeological site in the civil parish of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Azambuja), Vila Nova de São Pedro, municipality of Azambuja Municipality, Azambuja, in the Portugal, Portuguese Estremadur ...
*
Castelo Velho de Freixo de Numão Castelo may refer to: Places Brazil * Castelo, Espírito Santo, a municipality in the State of Espírito Santo * Castelo (Rio de Janeiro), a neighbourhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro Portugal * Castelo (Lisbon), a civil parish in the municipalit ...
*
Castro de Leceia The Castro de Leceia or Leceia Eneolithic Station (''Estação eneolítica de Leceia'') is an archeological site of the Castro culture located in the Portuguese civil parish of Barcarena in the municipality of Oeiras. The area was first occupi ...
* Los Millares *
Valencina de la Concepción Valencina de la Concepción is a town located in the province of Seville, Andalusia, Spain. It has a population of 7,800 as of 2018. It is the site of significant archaeological finds. Romería de Torrijos festival On the second Sunday of Octo ...
*
Castro culture Castro culture (, , , , meaning "culture of the hillforts") is the archaeological term for the material culture of the northwestern regions of the Iberian Peninsula (present-day northern and central Portugal together with the Spanish regions of ...
* Tholos do Barro, a nearby chalcolithic burial chamber


References


Citations


Sources

* * * * * {{cite book , title=Torres Vedras, Passado e Presente , volume=1 , place=Torres Vedras, Portugal , year=1996 , language=Portuguese Castro Zambujal Zambujal Archaeological sites in Lisbon District