Portugal
Pegarinhos – 2016

The 2016 excavation season focused on the floor layers of the buildings uncovered in 2015, firstly in order to collect evidence for dating, and secondly to retrieve elements which would indicate the function of each space.

Excavation of seven areas by hand revealed material (pottery and coins) belonging to two successive Roman period occupations of the site. Particular attention was given to two adjacent spaces. The first of these was the area around the press, where a series of features were uncovered. Samples of mortar from a basin were collected for chemical analysis. These analyses, carried out by the Nicolas Garnier laboratory, identified the presence of fermented black grapes, therefore confirming that wine production took place at the site.

The second area revealed a group of features previously unknown in the region: a tank with an outlet, a stone mortar, a granite roller and a mount for an axle. Although technical constraints prevented us from fully exploring this space, these elements may suggest the presence of a zone for processing textiles. The discovery of a number of terracotta and stone counterweights on the floor may also support this idea.

Ultimately, the 2016 season in Vale de Mir allowed us to confirm that a number of craft activities took place on the site, whose function appears to correspond with the business part of a Roman-era rural settlement such as a villa.