Archaeological station of Monte Molião

Category: Archaeology > Settlement

District: Faro > Lagos > Lagos > Albardeira

Ancient History

Monte Molião dates back to the second Iron Age, around the 4th century BC.

Fortified Village

The site consists of a castro or fortified settlement, with residential structures and a large wall.

Roman Importance

During the Roman period, Monte Molião was intensely occupied and had significant relevance.

Several artifacts were found, including fragments of pottery, Roman coins, and a bronze statue of the god Mercury.

Cistern

A highlight is an elliptical cistern with a depth of 4.35 meters, a width of 1.76 meters, and a length of 6.8 meters.

Privileged Location

Monte Molião provides a privileged view over the Ribeira de Bensafrim, which facilitated the defense and surveillance of the region.

Possible Ancient City of Lacóbriga

It is believed that Monte Molião is the site of the ancient city of Lacóbriga, mentioned by ancient geographers.

Spoils

The archaeological site revealed a wealth of approximately 25,000 pieces, including ceramics, metal and glass artifacts, and remains of marine animals.

Gradual Abandonment

Over time, Monte Molião gradually lost its residential importance as the city of Lagos developed on the opposite bank.

Rediscovery

In the 19th century, archaeologist Estácio da Veiga rediscovered Monte Molião during the production of the Archaeological Map of the Algarve.

Several structures were found, including a cistern, traces of walls, and objects such as ceramics and a bronze statue of the god Mercury.

Discoveries of Roman coins, including a silver denarius from the Tituria family.

Monte Molião was occupied by agricultural explorations during the research.

Excavations in the early 20th century revealed a Roman necropolis at the site.

Tombs found, oriented from north to south, with vertical tiles supporting the walls.

Artifacts discovered such as glass unguentaria, Roman funerary vases, a clay plate with small holes, iron utensils, nails, and a gold ring.

Presence of tiles covering the floor of the tombs.

Part of the archaeological site, including the Roman necropolis, was destroyed due to works on National Road 125.

In partnership with the University of Lisbon, excavations were carried out at Monte Molião from 2006 onwards.

Discoveries of evidence of pre-Roman presence, with vestiges of buildings, streets, and coins from the Roman imperial period.

Remains of buildings from the Roman Republican period in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC were found.

Vestiges of Iron Age habitation were discovered, including remains of marine animals and fragments of Greek and North African ceramics.

Visits and Interpretation Center

The site is open for visits and the municipality of Lagos plans to build an interpretation center in the future.

Cultural Importance

The ruins of Monte Molião are considered an ex-libris of the city of Lagos and were classified as a Property of Public Interest in 1992.

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

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