Villa Romana dos Casais Velhos

Category: Nature > Reserva natural

District: Lisboa > Cascais > Areia

Location:

Located in the locality of Areia, in the municipality of Cascais, the Roman Villa of Casais Velhos stands on a gentle hill, offering a tranquil perspective over the surrounding landscape. This site, nestled within a pine forest area, benefits from its proximity to the Guincho dunes, providing an environment that blends history with the natural beauty of the coast.

A Window into the Roman Past:

This archaeological site transports visitors directly to Antiquity, revealing the remains of a prosperous Roman rural villa. Classified as a Property of Public Interest, the Roman Villa of Casais Velhos is a testament to the occupation and life in the region between the 2nd and 5th centuries AD, marking a period of significant Roman influence on the Iberian Peninsula.

Residential and Productive Complex:

The villa's structure stands out for its multifunctional organization, divided between an area designated for habitation and another dedicated to production. In the residential part, it is possible to observe the foundations of various compartments that made up daily life. However, one of the most fascinating aspects of the site lies in the productive area: evidence of a dyeing industry. The presence of lined vats and the discovery of a notable quantity of murex shells attest to the production of purple, an extremely valuable dye associated with luxury in Roman society.

The Private Baths and Other Activities:

An essential part of Roman culture, the villa's private baths are among its most interesting architectural elements. This bathing complex included distinct divisions for different thermal experiences, such as the frigidarium (for cold baths), the tepidarium (for lukewarm baths), and the praefurnium (the heating area), with semicircular tubs. The water needed for the baths was supplied by an aqueduct that brought it from a nearby spring. In addition to the dyeing activity, the villa's economy was complemented by agriculture, visible in the rock-cut silos and the remains of an olive press, which demonstrates the diversity of its activities.

Memories of Daily Life and Rituals:

The excavations carried out at Casais Velhos allowed for the recovery of a rich collection of artifacts, offering a more complete picture of the daily life of the villa's inhabitants. Among the findings are coins of Roman emperors like Constantius II and Theodosius, ceramic objects, personal adornments such as bronze earrings, and even a rare coin wrapped in linen fabric. The presence of necropolises in the vicinity of the villa, with 'box-type' graves where bodies were typically laid facing east, provides insight into Roman funerary rituals and beliefs about life and death.

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