Santa Olaia (Figueira da Foz, Portugal)

The small hill of Santa Olaia, an ancient river island on the right bank of the Mondego estuary, is located roughly in the middle of the peninsular Atlantic coastal strip.

The archaeological potential of the site was brought to light by António dos Santos Rocha in the late 1800s. The excavations at that time revealed a sequence of rectangular structures with stone foundations from which mudbrick walls would rise, following Levantine building patterns and techniques. This architecture, as well as the artifacts, distinct from the remains detected in the surrounding area at this latitude, led the archaeologist to look for cultural and ethnographic references for the site in the southern and eastern Spanish, as well as along the Tunisian coast, in what was then referred to as Ibero-Punic sites.

After a long period of abandonment and destruction, archaeological work was resumed in the late 20th century by Isabel Pereira. Among the fieldwork directed by her, the excavations carried out at the foot of the northern slope along the highway's route under construction at that time stand out for their results. This excavation brought to light a riverside area enclosed by a wall. The defensive structure, with its corresponding gate, preserved the stone base and would be topped by an earthen superstructure. Along its path, there was a poorly maintained area, but it was possible to identify a series of industrial structures, including ceramic, metallurgical, and lime kilns.

Regardless of the presence of materials that point to contact with other Atlantic and Mediterranean regions, this is still the northernmost known Phoenician establishment in the far western area, signaling a symbolic and cultural border at the crossroads between two worlds.

Sara Almeida

CEAACP – Centro de Estudos em Arqueologia, Artes e Ciências do Património