A presença romana, visigótica, islâmica e portuguesa no Centro Histórico de Oeiras: resultados da intervenção arqueológica realizada em 2017 e em 2018

Resumo

The results obtained from the archaeological excavation carriecl out in 2017 and 2018 at Rua Marquês de Pombal, no. 3 to 7, in the Historic Center of Oeiras are presented. The results obtained show the richness and diversity of the occupations verified there, as well as the long diachrony of them, confirmed by the recovered archaeological remains. The oldest occupation, confirmed by structures with a straight plan and several estates, dates back to the end of the Republican Period, assuming continuity with the Early Imperial times. From this time onwards, it is a rare ivory-turned umbrella cable, unique in the Iberian Peninsula, which has been already published. At the end of this first phase of occupation, the roof of the building constructed there fell, which sealed the underlying deposits and constitutes an important chrono-stratigraphic element of reference. Over this layer of reference a lot of materials were recollected whose chronology extends to Late Antiquity, evidenced by Mediterranean imports, being represented by fine productions. Visigothic ceramic and metallic materials belong to the immediately following period, with emphasis on ceramic productions and a buckle, as well as scarce Islamic productions, of which, due to their rarity, a bone spinning tower must be mentioned.

ln more modern times, from the Late Middle Ages to the Modern Times, several housing structures and characteristic estates belong, proving the continuous occupation of the same place until today, as it is usual in urban centers of early formation, like the case of Oeiras. However, until recently, little was known about the human presence in the urban area of Oeiras between the Roman and the Pombaline period (second half of the XVIII century): that's why this intervention, originated by the urban requalification of the Historic Center of Oeiras, constitutes an excellent opportunity to fill information gaps, in the sense of recovering the history of the site, and contributing to their present identity.