Castro de Monte Mozinho

On a low hillock, overlooking the Ribeira da Camba, rests the Castro de Monte Mozinho. Some call it the “Dead City”. Let’s unravel the secrets of this ancient hill fort. The Castro de Monte Mozinho is a Neolithic fortified settlement. It’s located in Oldrões, within the municipality of Penafiel, in the Porto district of Portugal. The earliest traces of occupation date back to the 1st century BCE. The Castro de Monte Mozinho continued to be inhabited into the Middle Ages by a small community. Think of the generations who lived and thrived within these walls. Archaeological digs, starting in 1930 under Abílio Miranda, have unveiled much of the Castro’s past. Later excavations, led by Elísio Ferreira de Sousa in 1943 and Fernando Russell Cortez in 1947, added to the growing body of knowledge. Between 1974 and 1979, Carlos A. Ferreira de Almeida spearheaded another excavation. A decade-long dig starting in 1982, under the supervision of Teresa Soeiro, further illuminated the Castro’s history. The Castro de Monte Mozinho sprawls across 20 hectares. It is defended by four lines of walls, some reaching 3.5 meters thick at the doorways. The main dwellings are oriented north to south, with lateral lodgings branching out orthogonally. The excavations unearthed various structures. These include circular constructions, some with vestibules, and rectangular buildings. These buildings formed blocks defined by walls, creating a structured settlement. At the top lies a large ellipsoid courtyard, also enclosed by a wall. This space likely served as a public area for gatherings and activities. Near the upper courtyard and main lodgings stands a likely temple. Accessible by a curved ramp, this structure consists of a rectangular cell and a podium along its longest side. It is fronted by other rectangular constructions. The third wall houses a possible funerary monument. While heavily ruined, its foundation is marked by a well-preserved rectangular cavity framed by stones. Imagine this turriform mausoleum with columns and sculptures, remnants scattered around its base. To the northwest, near the outer wall, a necropolis consisting of two sepulchral boxes was discovered. These boxes, constructed with small stones and covered by slate, contained a shelf for ceramic containers. The artifacts found at Castro de Monte Mozinho range from Iron Age and Roman ceramics to glass, tiles, millstones, coins, and metal tools. These artifacts offer glimpses into the daily lives of the Castro’s inhabitants, their crafts, defenses, and agriculture. They are currently housed in the Penafiel Municipal Museum, the Porto Museum of Ethnography and History, and the University of Porto’s Anthropological Museum.