Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Bragança > Macedo de Cavaleiros > Amendoeira > Pinhovelo
Terronha de Pinhovelo is isolated on a natural elevation within the Pinhovelo urbanization, in the locality of Amendoeira, municipality of Macedo de Cavaleiros. Situated on a plateau with a maximum altitude of about 693 meters, this archaeological site offers a privileged view of the surrounding landscape, particularly the Serra de Bornes. This dominant position, characteristic of ancient settlements, reveals a strategic choice that provided excellent defensive conditions and comprehensive visibility over the territory.
This site is a valuable testimony to human presence from the Iron Age to the Roman period. Known as a castro, or a pre-Roman fortified settlement, Terronha de Pinhovelo shows a continuous occupation that extended until the 5th century AD. Archaeological findings indicate that this was an important settlement, with a possible central or administrative role in the region during the Roman Era, located within the territory of the ancient Zoelae population.
The natural configuration of Terronha, with a steep escarpment on the western slope serving as a natural defense, was complemented by artificial fortification systems. The existence of several lines of walls and embankments built halfway up the slope, especially on the northern and eastern sides, which ensured the safety of the settlement, has been investigated. Inside, rectangular-plan habitation structures and hearths used for waste management were identified, revealing aspects of the daily life of these communities. The presence of ceramics, coins, and other artifacts allows us to understand the domestic life and economic activities, such as agriculture and pastoralism, that sustained its inhabitants.
The archaeological works carried out at Terronha de Pinhovelo have been fundamental in unraveling the different phases of occupation and the organization of this settlement. The interventions allowed for an understanding of the evolution of defensive and habitation structures over time, from the oldest ones of the Iron Age to the Roman ones, identifying the construction techniques of the era, which predominantly used local schist. This site, classified as a Site of Public Interest, continues to be an object of study, significantly contributing to the knowledge of the history and archaeology of Northeast Transmontano.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.543407,-6.988763
Coordinates DMS: 41°32'36.3"N 06°59'19.5"W
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