Excavations

To gather the utmost evidence from a site in a short time with only a limited budget there is a high demand for voluntary helpers. In this respect the AAA has always been a reliable source of manpower to assist on sites in a variety of ways.

Members of the AAA  have been attending the digs at Alcoutim, Loulé, Alcalar, and Vilamoura and many others. Voluntary workers on site is not always the norm and so our help  is always gratefully received and acknowledged.  

So through this and not only just by awarding grants, the AAA fulfils its main objective laid down in the statutes, namely the promotion and support of Algarvean archaeology.
Although the fieldwork is sometimes hard, we want to encourage any members who feel they are capable, to take part whenever help is needed. Fundamental fieldwork and immediate contact with learned archaeologists creates a much closer link with things we are amazed by on a sightseeing tour or in a museum. 

     One of the AAA members digging at the Alcalar site

     in 2007. 

Here the excavation of a small Roman hillfortress overlooking the Rio Guardiana. is shown. The excavation was started last summer (2008) by an Austrian team under supervision of Dra. Alexandra Gradim and the help of AAA volunteers.

2009:
The work at the Roman hill fortress near Alcoutim, begun last year, was continued with good support, in the way of voluntary help, by members of the AAA. The fortress is dated to the time of the Roman colonisation of the Iberian Peninsular during the 1st/2nd century BC, when attacks by local tribes were frequent. The building is on top of a small but steep hill next to the Guadiana River. The fortress turned out to be bigger than expected after the outer walls, 1.6m thick, had been located and unearthed. Other fortresses are already known but this – once probably two storeys high, with some walls still standing to a height of up to 2m., seems to be the best preserved. – according to the Austrian archaeologists on site. Artefacts found on the site support the belief that the building was still in use in the late Medieval period although part of it was probably destroyed much earlier as sherds of amphorae were recovered from under the rubble in one of the rooms.

Report by one of the AAA volunteers: 'This summer, archaeologist, Alexandra Gradin, invited AAA members to help excavate at the 1st century Roman dig at Alcoutim. This was our second summer there and it was very rewarding as many more artefacts were found, including amphorae and household items. This proved that families actually lived on the site. This small, precipitous site over looking the river, not only afforded the Romans and excellent lookout post, but the river enabled them to transport copper and other metals which would have been their main source of income. We worked from 6.00am till noon, with a break at 9.00am By 11.00am it was almost too hot to work, but the continued effort was well-rewarded by the cheerful company, and the adventure of being on such a spectacular Roman site! In the afternoon, after a well-earned siesta, we relaxed on the promenade overlooking the river....      For those who are interested in joining the dig next year, please email alexgradin@iol.pt