Roman dam of Fonte Coberta or Site of Fonte Coberta

Category: Archaeology > Dam

District: Faro > Lagos > Lagos > Falfeira

Location and Historical Context

Located near the city of Lagos, in the Algarve, Portugal.

Hydraulic structure of possible Roman origin.

Classified as a Property of Public Interest.

Description of the dam

Rectangular wall approximately 36.5 m long, 2.5 m thick, and height varying from 2.37 m to 1.3 m.

Built with stone blocks mortared in lime and sand in the Roman style.

Several visible layers indicate successive phases of construction.

Originally formed a reservoir on the north slope.

Location and adjacent building

Located in the bed of an old stream, in the Fonte Coberta area, about 1.5 km from the city of Lagos.

On the south side of the dam, there is a building constructed later.

Original function

Functions not fully clarified.

Theories suggest use for irrigation or water supply to the ancient city of Lacóbriga.

History

Built during the Roman period.

Identified by the historian Estácio da Veiga in the 19th century, although it was already in a state of destruction.

Archaeological vestiges found, including fragments of earthenware pieces.

Recent archaeological work

In 2010, monitoring work was carried out on the ruins of the dam.

Clearing and manual cleaning operations to study the structure.

Wall reaching a lower height than previous investigations due to siltation.

Conditions of the historical heritage of Lagos were criticized in 2022.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barragem_Romana_da_Fonte_Coberta

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt