Category: Nature > Reserva natural
District: Faro > Vila Real de Santo António > Cacela Velha
The Poço Antigo Archaeological Site is located in the picturesque village of Cacela Velha, in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António, nestled within the coastal landscape of the eastern Algarve. This specific location is situated to the east of the current inhabited area, slightly away from the ancient village walls. Its position invites a tranquil exploration of the history that lies beneath our feet, revealing layers of past lives.
Between 1998 and 2001, archaeological campaigns at this site uncovered distinct phases of human occupation in Cacela. The excavations revealed, in an initial layer, remnants of a Christian necropolis, from which 56 tombs were identified and studied. However, it is beneath this necropolis that the foundations of an Islamic residential quarter are found, a discovery dating back to the Almohad period, in the first half of the 13th century.
The Islamic quarter of Poço Antigo offers a unique perspective on daily life during the Almohad era. The identified residential structures show careful planning, characterized by houses with a central courtyard, often paved with large stone slabs. Around this courtyard, the various rooms of the house were organized, including areas such as the kitchen, the alcove, and the latrine. Additionally, the excavations revealed the presence of a street with a public drainage system, a detail that highlights the urban organization and infrastructure of Islamic Cacela, once a relevant coastal port of Garb al-Andalus.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 37.15741365, -7.5449113357143
Coordinates DMS: 37°09'26.7"N 07°32'41.7"W
On-duty Pharmacy Cacela Velha
