Bath Castle

Category: Archaeology > Fortified Settlement

District: Viseu > São Pedro do Sul > Serrazes

Location

Located in Serrazes, in the municipality of São Pedro do Sul, this ancient settlement stands on a steep and rocky hillside, on the right bank of the Vouga river, where it meets the Beirós stream. Its elevated position offers a natural setting of dense vegetation, composed of pines, oaks, and gorse, which embraces the site and lends it a serene atmosphere.

Remains of an Ancestral Settlement

Castro de Banho is a fortified settlement of very ancient origins, inhabited since the Iron Age and continuously occupied until the Roman era and, probably, the medieval period. This unique site is characterized by houses partially excavated into the rock, utilizing natural rock formations as walls and even as roofs, giving it a very peculiar character.

The dwellings, estimated to have numbered around one hundred, display various forms (circular, quadrangular, and elliptical) arranged in terraces that follow the slope of the terrain. Although vegetation now covers much of the site, it is still possible to glimpse some collapsed sections of walls, as well as ramps and steps carved directly into the stone, testifying to the ingenuity of its ancient inhabitants.

A Window to the Past

Excavations carried out at the site allowed for the discovery of various artifacts that reveal aspects of the daily life and commercial links of this community. Among the unearthed findings, notable items include fragments of varied ceramics, including pieces of peninsular manufacture and even Hispânica terra sigillata, a type of fine imported pottery that demonstrates the reach of their trade networks.

Roman coins from the Late Empire were also collected, such as those of Constantine and Constans, in addition to everyday objects like loom weights, hand mills, and iron nails. The presence of tégulae and ímbrices, characteristic Roman building materials, underscores the prolonged occupation and cultural influence that shaped this settlement over the centuries.

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