Belinho Castle

Category: Archaeology > Settlement

District: Faro > Portimão > Portimão > Reguengo

Location

Castelo Belinho is situated in the municipality of Portimão, Portugal, about five kilometers north of the city of Portimão. It lies on the southern foothills of the Serra de Monchique, between the Ribeira de Boina and the Barranco dos Álamos.

Neolithic Period Remains

Remains of a sanctuary and a necropolis from the Neolithic period have been found. Notable is the discovery of several burials, including the richly decorated burial of a young male.

Site Composition

Castelo Belinho consists of ten Neolithic buildings, identified by postholes. Additionally, traces of dwellings, outlines marked on the ground, and holes for wooden posts were found. There are also silos in the area.

Islamic Materials

There are remains of an Islamic fortification, consisting of a fortified rural house, protected by walls and a ditch. The building was constructed using military rammed earth and had a trapezoidal plan. It was probably part of the defensive system of the city of Silves.

History

The site was occupied during the Evolved Early Neolithic period, around the 5th millennium BC. Subsequently, during the Islamic period, a fortified complex was built on top of the Neolithic remains. The fortification was probably destroyed during the Christian reconquest of the Algarve in the 13th century. The last phase of occupation occurred in the 17th century.

Archaeological Discoveries

The archaeological site of Castelo Belinho was studied by the archaeologist Rosa Varela Gomes in the 1980s. Later, between 2004 and 2005, archaeological excavations were carried out which revealed important remains from the Neolithic period. The site is being integrated into a route known as Caminhos do Património.

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

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