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PALEORESCUE
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Background
The main idea for this project was based on the notion that in the last 20 years, Paleolithic Archaeology in Portugal has produced some of the most revolutionary and important sites in the world (e.g., Côa Valley Paleolithic rock art; Lagar Velho child-burial and the 400,000-year-old human skull from Aroeira cave). Nonetheless, the hiatus visible in the map of geographical distribution of these sites (Fig.1) is obvious and mean nothing but lack of research and not an absence of human settlement in the past. In the last 10 years, archaeological activity (preventive or research oriented) in Paleolithic sites stands for less than 5% of all archaeological activity registered on the national database Endovélico, Information and Archaeological Management System Culture Heritage Portugal, Ministry of Culture). This is partly due to the reduced number of University Archaeology departments with expertise in Paleolithic and to the absence of academic training in Geoarchaeology (site formation processes applying Geology and Geomorphology concepts) and in lithic studies. 
Vale Comprido Points and flint blades from Portela 2 archaeological site.
Photo: Francisco Almeida / Crivarque
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Fig. 1 – Upper Paleolithic site distribution, according to data provided by the DGPC - Ministry of Culture (Data source: The Endovélico, Archaeology Information System).
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Research plan
The deficit in human resources originates insufficient knowledge of Paleolithic and has serious implications at the level of time and money spent in Preventive Archaeology, given the “sudden discovery” of these Paleolithic sites in the last phases of infrastructural projects such as river dams, highways, etc. Given that 95% of archaeological activity in Portugal is guaranteed by Private Companies, it is these private companies that need to developed skills to identify, excavate and study Paleolithic sites. Hence, the present project is designed to fulfil a series of gaps in Paleolithic Archaeology in Portugal and we propose:
The deficit in human resources originates insufficient knowledge of Paleolithic and has serious implications at the level of time and money spent in Preventive Archaeology, given the “sudden discovery” of these Paleolithic sites in the last phases of infrastructural projects such as river dams, highways, etc. Given that 95% of archaeological activity in Portugal is guaranteed by Private Companies, it is these private companies that need to developed skills to identify, excavate and study Paleolithic sites. Hence, the present project is designed to fulfil a series of gaps in Paleolithic Archaeology in Portugal and we propose:
- to develop a program of specialized training, in order to encourage better relations between Archaeology entrepreneurs and universities, by disseminating theoretical knowledge and developing technical field protocols;
- to study Paleolithic sites previously excavated in the context of Preventive Archaeology:
- Vouga Valley: Rôdo and Vau
- Leiria area: Portela 2 and Calvaria 2
- to compare and cross data on site location, type of geological and geomorphological contexts, using GIS and predictive models for archaeological potential mapping (showing high-susceptibility areas for the preservation of sedimentary packages containing Paleolithic occupations).
Fig 3 - Excavation at Rôdo archaeological site Rôdo (Couto Esteves, Sever do Vouga. Aproveitamento Hidroelétrico Ribeiradio-Ermida. Photo: Arqueologia&Património - Ricardo Teixeira e Vítor Fonseca, Arqueologia Lda.).
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Fig 4 - Excavation at Rôdo archaeological site Rôdo (Couto Esteves, Sever do Vouga. Aproveitamento Hidroelétrico Ribeiradio-Ermida. Photo: Arqueologia&Património - Ricardo Teixeira e Vítor Fonseca, Arqueologia Lda.).
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Expected outcomes
- The study of Rôdo and Vau sites will contribute to a better understanding of the Lateglacial and Pleistocene-Holocene transition in a national and European scale. The study of Portela 2 and Calvaria 2 sites is relevant because it can shed light on the Gravettian-Solutrean transition and will have impact in European prehistory.
- The construction of a GIS-based mapping showing potential areas for the location of preserved Late Pleistocene sites will highlight the practical advantages of the use of predictive models in archaeological survey.
- We expect an improvement in communication between enterprises and universities, an increase in the number of academic works based on Paleolithic preventive excavations materials and an improved knowledge on lithic artefacts and geomorphology among enterprise employees, resulting in identification of newly discovered Paleolithic sites.
Publications
GAMEIRO, C. (2018) - Upper Paleolithic and preventive Archaeology in Portugal: challenges and opportunities, Raport, 13, Warsaw, p. 203-207.
GAMEIRO, C.; DIMUCCIO, L. (2019) – Apresentação do projeto PALEORESCUE – O Paleolítico Superior e a Arqueologia preventiva em Portugal: desafios e oportunidades. Al-Madan online, nº22 (tomo 3), p.55-60.
Oral presentations
Apresentação do projeto PALEORESCUE. O Paleolítico Superior e a Arqueologia Preventiva em Portugal: desafios e oportunidades. Colóquio – O Paleolítico em Portugal. Um quarto de século de abordagem tecnológica, 12 de outubro de 2018, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa (co-autoria com Luca Dimuccio).
Contextos de descoberta e desafios do estudo dos sítios pré-históricos do Aproveitamento Hidroelétrico de Ribeiradio-Ermida. Colóquio – O Paleolítico em Portugal. Um quarto de século de abordagem tecnológica, 12 de outubro de 2018, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa (co-autoria com Sérgio Gomes; Lurdes Oliveira; Carmen Manzano; Alicia Ameijenda; Bárbara Costa; Sérgio Monteiro-Rodrigues; Alberto Gomes; Thierry Aubry; Henrique Matias)
A indústria lítica do Gravettense Médio do Vau (Médio Vouga): apresentação de dados preliminares. Colóquio – O Paleolítico em Portugal. Um quarto de século de abordagem tecnológica, 12 de outubro de 2018, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa (co-autoria com Carmen Manzano; Bárbara Costa; Alicia Ameijenda; Sérgio Gomes; Sérgio Monteiro-Rodrigues; Alberto Gomes; Thierry Aubry; Henrique Matias).
Contributos para a caracterização do período Tardiglaciar no Médio Vouga: a indústria lítica do Rôdo, Vau e Bispeira 8. Mesa redonda: Transição Pleistocénico-Holocénico, 13 de outubro de 2018, Museu Arqueológico do Carmo, Lisboa. (Co-autoria com Carmen Manzano; Bárbara Costa; Alicia Ameijenda; Sérgio Gomes; Sérgio Monteiro-Rodrigues; Alberto Gomes; Thierry Aubry; Henrique Matias).
Poster
Cristina Gameiro, S. Gomes, C. Manzano, B. Costa, A. Ameijenda, L. Oliveira, S. Monteiro-Rodrigues, A. Gomes, C. Oliveira, J.Tereso, H. Matias, T. Aubry- The Pleistocene-Holocene transition: new data from the sites of Rôdo, Vau and Bispeira 8 (Vouga valley, Portugal). Poster apresentado no 8th Annual Meeting of the European Society for the study of Human Evolution, Faro 13-15 setembro de 2018.
GAMEIRO, C. (2018) - Upper Paleolithic and preventive Archaeology in Portugal: challenges and opportunities, Raport, 13, Warsaw, p. 203-207.
GAMEIRO, C.; DIMUCCIO, L. (2019) – Apresentação do projeto PALEORESCUE – O Paleolítico Superior e a Arqueologia preventiva em Portugal: desafios e oportunidades. Al-Madan online, nº22 (tomo 3), p.55-60.
Oral presentations
Apresentação do projeto PALEORESCUE. O Paleolítico Superior e a Arqueologia Preventiva em Portugal: desafios e oportunidades. Colóquio – O Paleolítico em Portugal. Um quarto de século de abordagem tecnológica, 12 de outubro de 2018, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa (co-autoria com Luca Dimuccio).
Contextos de descoberta e desafios do estudo dos sítios pré-históricos do Aproveitamento Hidroelétrico de Ribeiradio-Ermida. Colóquio – O Paleolítico em Portugal. Um quarto de século de abordagem tecnológica, 12 de outubro de 2018, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa (co-autoria com Sérgio Gomes; Lurdes Oliveira; Carmen Manzano; Alicia Ameijenda; Bárbara Costa; Sérgio Monteiro-Rodrigues; Alberto Gomes; Thierry Aubry; Henrique Matias)
A indústria lítica do Gravettense Médio do Vau (Médio Vouga): apresentação de dados preliminares. Colóquio – O Paleolítico em Portugal. Um quarto de século de abordagem tecnológica, 12 de outubro de 2018, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa (co-autoria com Carmen Manzano; Bárbara Costa; Alicia Ameijenda; Sérgio Gomes; Sérgio Monteiro-Rodrigues; Alberto Gomes; Thierry Aubry; Henrique Matias).
Contributos para a caracterização do período Tardiglaciar no Médio Vouga: a indústria lítica do Rôdo, Vau e Bispeira 8. Mesa redonda: Transição Pleistocénico-Holocénico, 13 de outubro de 2018, Museu Arqueológico do Carmo, Lisboa. (Co-autoria com Carmen Manzano; Bárbara Costa; Alicia Ameijenda; Sérgio Gomes; Sérgio Monteiro-Rodrigues; Alberto Gomes; Thierry Aubry; Henrique Matias).
Poster
Cristina Gameiro, S. Gomes, C. Manzano, B. Costa, A. Ameijenda, L. Oliveira, S. Monteiro-Rodrigues, A. Gomes, C. Oliveira, J.Tereso, H. Matias, T. Aubry- The Pleistocene-Holocene transition: new data from the sites of Rôdo, Vau and Bispeira 8 (Vouga valley, Portugal). Poster apresentado no 8th Annual Meeting of the European Society for the study of Human Evolution, Faro 13-15 setembro de 2018.
The team
