Castro of Vila Nova de São Pedro

Castro de Vila Nova de São Pedro

Portugal · Lisbon, Azambuja

SettlementExcavation ongoing
Approximate period3,200 BCE — 2,000 BCEChalcolithic; approximate main period of use See on the map ↓

In brief

Vila Nova de São Pedro is a fortified Chalcolithic settlement associated with agriculture and metalworking. Defensive systems identified in earlier excavations are being reinvestigated as part of a new project begun in 2017.

What was found?

  • 1Three lines of defensive walls

    Excavations identified three lines of walls surrounding the inner fortified area. They show the settlement's defensive arrangement and spatial organization.

  • 2Ceramic loom weights

    The terracotta weights found within the settlement were used on looms. They document that cloth production was part of local life.

  • 3Hand querns

    Hand querns used to process grain were recovered. They provide tangible evidence that agricultural products were processed in the settlement.

  • 4Wheat and barley remains

    Samples of pulses were found alongside wheat and barley. These plant remains directly document the community's agricultural production.

  • 5Copperworking remains

    Crucibles, casting droplets and copper tools were found. Although limited in number, they show that copper was worked in the settlement.

What does it point to?

The finds indicate a settled life in which agriculture, animal husbandry, weaving and copperworking were practiced together. According to researchers, the location and fortifications may have been related to a desire to control the movement of people, animals and goods as well as to defense.

What did it teach us?

  1. It documented cereal cultivation, grinding and weaving within the same settlement.
  2. It showed that the use of stone and bone tools continued alongside copperworking.
  3. It revealed that the defensive system was modified and strengthened during its period of use.

Images

Castro de V. Nova de S. Pedro - Portugal (191926797)
Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Latest news / selected archive

The 2025 excavation revealed a large wall extending perpendicular to the second wall line and investigated a possible hollow bastion that had not previously been documented.

Record

Culture
Chalcolithic communities of Portuguese Estremadura
First modern dig
1937
Team / historical
Mariana Diniz, César Neves and José Arnaud / UNIARQ and the Association of Portuguese Archaeologists
Coordinates
39.2198°, -8.8403°

Sources

  1. imovel.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt
  2. vnsp.arqueologos.pt
  3. uniarq.net

Nearby excavations


—
—
12.000

From beneath the soil: latest discoveries

  • Scented cosmetics identified in 2,000-year-old graves in Kazakhstan

    Analysis of white blocks recovered from two women's graves revealed traces of cinnamon and other plant oils mixed with chalk. According to the researchers, the materials show that scented oils transported along the Silk Road were used in local cosmetics production.

    Arkeofili ↗
  • Molecular evidence of aloe use found in a 2,700-year-old mummified head

    Chemical analysis of a mummified head dating to the 8th century BC detected compounds associated with aloe. According to the researchers, this is the first molecular evidence of aloe use in ancient Egyptian mummification and adds to knowledge of the ingredients in embalming mixtures.

    Arkeofili ↗
  • Possible communal bone repository containing remains of nine people found in Mexico City

    Human bones, Aztec-period pottery and obsidian tools were found during a rescue excavation ahead of railway construction. According to the researchers, the bones may have been collected from earlier graves and reburied; the find, whose exact date has yet to be determined, could shed light on funerary practices in the area.

    Heritage Daily ↗
  • SS dog kennels and ash layers containing bone fragments found at Dachau

    Excavations at Dachau Concentration Camp uncovered the foundations of at least 35 dog kennels and ash layers containing bone fragments. According to the researchers, the bones may be human remains from the crematorium; the finds provide new physical evidence of the camp's security and crematorium layout.

    Heritage Daily ↗
  • Teeth deposited in a cave in Belize linked to elite Maya families

    DNA analysis of more than 200 teeth found in a woman's grave in Bats’ub Cave revealed at least 30 individuals and connections to nearby elite family tombs. According to the researchers, the grave may have become a place people visited over time, with teeth deposited there over generations.

    Archaeology Magazine ↗
  • Traces of a 9,000-year-old settlement found at a solar farm site in Ireland

    Excavations ahead of construction in Wicklow uncovered a site dating back approximately 9,000 years and flint tools deposited in a pit. The finds contribute to understanding the daily lives of Ireland's early hunter-gatherer communities and their use of the area.

    Archaeology Magazine ↗
  • Rare Messapic inscriptions found in a 2,300-year-old tomb in Italy

    Two Messapic inscriptions were found on the cover slabs of a rock-cut tomb in Manduria. According to researchers, the texts may indicate that the woman associated with the tomb held a religious role; a connection to priesthood and the cult of Demeter has not yet been confirmed.

    Heritage Daily ↗
  • Main sewer line and inscriptions describing Roman rituals found at Aquinum

    Investigations at Aquinum uncovered the main sewer line, a group of 120 coins and religious inscriptions. The finds help researchers understand water management in the Roman city and practices such as consecrating places struck by lightning.

    Heritage Daily ↗

    All excavation sites (405)

    Türkiye

    Kazakhstan

    Federated States of Micronesia

    Guatemala

    Honduras

    North Macedonia

    Sri Lanka