Investigações geo-arqueológicas sobre a configuração do litoral algarvio durante o Holoceno
2014; Volume: 17; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0874-2782
AutoresFélix Teichner, Roland Mäusbacher, Gérard Dautremer, Dana Höfer, Heike Schneider, Carmen Trog,
Tópico(s)Archaeological and Geological Studies
ResumoEnglishAs part of a research project funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft), which took place from 2006 until 2010, traditional archaeological and modern geo-archaeological methods were used to study the changes taking place during the Holocene within the estuaries on the south coast of Portugal, the Algarve. Priority was placed on ascertaining if the development of the coastline between the Neolithic Period and the Middle Ages was more the result of natural causes (transgression, high energy events and climate) or human impact (settlement, land-use, erosion). A clear starting point was provided by the previously undertaken geomorphic research done at the Cerro da Vila (Vilamoura), where it has been possible to reconstruct the living conditions in and around the Roman harbour village once located there. Building on the results of this “on site” investigation, the first point of research was to analyse the influence of the hinterland (“off site”) on the hydrology of the coastal areas. Meanwhile the situation in selected estuaries neighbouring the Cerro da Vila and the related drainage areas was studied in order to identify the fundamental developments of the entire western Algarve coast (Barlavento). By comparing the different effected geo-archaeological archives in the Algarve it should become possible to differentiate erosional phases caused by changes in climate or high energy events from mostly local factors, which are induced by anthropogenic land-use; therein lies the hypothesis. The palynological studies were especially useful here in determining the human influence on the land use of the Algarve coast. The aim of the accompanying archaeological study was to draw chronologically differentiated distribution maps showing the development of human settlement between the Neolithic Period and the Middle Ages. The results of this interdisciplinary study show that the silting of the large estuaries on the southern coast of Portugal can be seen as a result of anthropogenic erosion that had already begun in the Bronze Age and reached its peak during the Roman Period. Furthermore geo-archaeological investigation shows a very strong impact, with several effects on the settlement patterns of the region (harbours, fishing-villages, murex-production, etc.), during the time of the Roman Empire. portuguesIntegrado num projecto financiado pela Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, Fundacao Alema de Investigacao), foram investigados entre 2005 e 2010, com os metodos da arqueologia tradicional e da geo-arqueologia interdisciplinar, a evolucao e a colmatacao de diversos estuarios e lagunas na actual costa sul de Portugal, no Algarve, durante o Holoceno recente (7000–1000 BP). O principal objectivo deste estudo foi o de esclarecer qual o impacto que as influencias antropogenicas e climaticas tiveram sobre a evolucao da costa, desde o Neolitico ate a Epoca Medieval. O ponto de partida baseou-se nos estudos geomorfologicos anteriormente realizados nos arredores do sitio arqueologico do Cerro da Vila (Vilamoura), com o objectivo de obter uma reconstituicao das condicoes ambientais desta estacao portuaria romana. Tendo por base estas primeiras informacoes “on site”, a prioridade foi analisar a influencia das mudancas ocorridas durante o holoceno-recente na rede hidrografica costeira (rios, ribeiras, etc.). Ao mesmo tempo, alguns estuarios vizinhos do Cerro da Vila e suas redes — todos na zona ocidental do Algarve (Barlavento) — foram alvos de estudo, com o objectivo de identificar e definir melhor a configuracao da costa sul de Portugal. Foi a hipotese base deste projecto que, com a analise comparativa dos diversos arquivos geo-arqueologicos identificados na zona do Algarve, possibilitou a individualizacao dos efeitos sub-regionais (climaticos, subida do nivel do mar) dos efeitos locais (uso do solo) referentes a erosao do solo. Em especial, as investigacoes palinologicas possibilitaram a obtencao de excelentes resultados em relacao a reconstituicao da influencia humana e da agricultura no litoral algarvio no passado. Os trabalhos arqueologicos que se realizaram em paralelo com estes estudos das geociencias, tiveram o objectivo de elaborar diversos mapas de distribuicao da ocupacao humana do Algarve para as varias etapas da Pre-Historia e Historia, entre o Neolitico e a Epoca Medieval, especialmente nas zonas mais afectadas pelas mudancas na erosao e na colmatacao dos estuarios e lagunas. O resultado deste estudo possibilitou um melhor conhecimento sobre o processo de colmatacao dos estuarios do Sul de Portugal como principal evidencia do notavel impacto humano nesta zona, desde a Idade do Bronze e com um climax na Epoca Romana. Estas alteracőes do paleo-ambiente tiveram, evidentemente efeitos muito profundos no padrao de assentamento durante esta ultima fase de ocupacao romana
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