Archaeological Circuit of Castro da Cola, Ourique

Mining evidence of Cortadouro & Vaga da Cascalheira

Coordinates

Cortadouro – 37º33'42.36"N / 8º16'36.82"O
Vaga da Cascalheira – 37º33'46.25"N / 8º16'37.56"O

Free access

Reception and Interpretation Centre
Visits to this centre are free.
It closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, January 1, Easter Sunday, and December 25.
Summer (May 1 to September 15) – 9.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m. / 3 p.m.-6.30 p.m.
Winter (September 16 to April 30) – 9.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m. / 2 p.m. -5.30 p.m.

About

Mining evidence

Although the area encompassed by the Cola Archaeological Circuit is outside the so-called “Iberian Pyrite Belt” in geological terms, these lands had small open pit mines (copper, iron, gold, and silver). There is evidence of mining activity in two areas along the Mira River (Cortadouro, to the South, and Vaga da Cascalheira, to the North).

Although there is no consensus on the date of these explorations, their activity has been temporarily placed in the Iron Age (8th to 2nd centuries B.C.).

Access

Prepare your visit

The archaeological circuit has a Reception and Interpretation Centre near the Church of Nossa Senhora da Cola. It can be visited by people with reduced mobility (wheelchairs, baby strollers).

For more information, contact

colaassociacao@gmail.com / cacmb.ourique@gmail.com

Jorge Silva – 963090894

 

Reduced mobility

The archaeological site of Castro da Cola is not accessible to people with reduced mobility (wheelchairs, baby strollers), and guided tours are not available.

Children should always be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Cautionary Note

Access to this archaeological site is facilitated by the owner of the land where it is located. Keep that in mind when you visit the site, respecting it and contributing to its cleanliness, maintenance, and preservation.

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RESEARCH

Bibliography & useful links

Bibliography

BEIRÃO, Caetano de Mello; CORREIA, Virgílio Hipólito (1994). Novos dados arqueológicos sobre a área de Fernão Vaz. In MANGAS, Julio; ALVAR, Jaime (eds.), Homenaje a José Maria Blázquez, vol. 1, Ediciones Clásicas, Madrid, pp. 285-302. Disponível em: Consultar Artigo Completo →  [Consultado a 23/05/2023].

CORREIA, Susana; ALFENIM, Rafael (2001). Circuito Arqueológico da Cola. In Património / Estudos, n.º 1, Instituto Português do Património Arquitetónico, Lisboa, pp. 54-55.

CORREIA, Virgílio Hipólito (1999). Algumas considerações sobre os centros de poder na Proto-História do Sul de Portugal. In Revista de Guimarães, Volume especial – Actas do Congresso de Proto-História Europeia, Sociedade Martins Sarmento, Guimarães, pp. 699-714. Disponível em: Consultar Artigo Completo →  [Consultado em 02/06/2023].

CORREIA, Virgílio Hipólito; PARREIRA, Rui (2002). Roteiros da Arqueologia Portuguesa, 8 – Cola. Circuito Arqueológico. Instituto Português do Património Arquitectónico (IPPAR), Lisboa, pp. 44-45.

https://www.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt/pt/patrimonio/itinerarios/alentejo-algarve/02/ 

https://arqueologia.patrimoniocultural.pt/index.php?sid=sitios&subsid=3190002

https://arqueologia.patrimoniocultural.pt/index.php?sid=sitios&subsid=49035 

http://www.cm-ourique.pt/pt/menu/322/circuito-arqueologico-da-cola.aspx