Archaeology
The archaeology collection is composed of over 90 500 catalogued pieces, and covers around 400 000 years of interaction between humankind and the environment. A great part of this collection comes from national archaeological spots. However, it also features pieces representing other continents such as Europe, Africa, America, and Asia. This collection, started in 1912, is a compilation of pieces gathered over more than 140 years.
Worth highlighting are the collections of the Mesolithic site complex of Muge, classified as National Monument in 2011. These are, to this day, the most important testimony from the human Mesolithic population in Europe. At the MHNC-UP since the 1930s, these have been the basis for an array of research projects in various scientific areas.
Another collection worth noting is a direct outcome of the work of Agostinho Farinha Isidoro in the Megalithic contexts of Crato. This collection constitutes a great example of the Megalithism of the Iberic southeast. The beautiful votive plaques in shale and sandstone are noteworthy.
One of the latest collections to have joined the MHNC-UP, in 2015, is the "Baixo Sabor” collection, which is constituted solely by the biological archaeology of the region. The archaeobotanical, zooarchaeological, and human remains of this collection have served as basis for countless studies. Thanks to this, we have been able to develop a more in depth understanding of the local populations and the paleoenvironments of the time.
During this restructuring phase of the MHNC-UP, the treatment, conservation, and expansion of this collection is being prioritised. This will help to ensure that it is available both to the public and to support research and academic projects.
Curator in Charge: Rita Gaspar
Associated Staff and Collaborators: João Pedro Tereso
Worth highlighting are the collections of the Mesolithic site complex of Muge, classified as National Monument in 2011. These are, to this day, the most important testimony from the human Mesolithic population in Europe. At the MHNC-UP since the 1930s, these have been the basis for an array of research projects in various scientific areas.
Another collection worth noting is a direct outcome of the work of Agostinho Farinha Isidoro in the Megalithic contexts of Crato. This collection constitutes a great example of the Megalithism of the Iberic southeast. The beautiful votive plaques in shale and sandstone are noteworthy.
One of the latest collections to have joined the MHNC-UP, in 2015, is the "Baixo Sabor” collection, which is constituted solely by the biological archaeology of the region. The archaeobotanical, zooarchaeological, and human remains of this collection have served as basis for countless studies. Thanks to this, we have been able to develop a more in depth understanding of the local populations and the paleoenvironments of the time.
During this restructuring phase of the MHNC-UP, the treatment, conservation, and expansion of this collection is being prioritised. This will help to ensure that it is available both to the public and to support research and academic projects.
Curator in Charge: Rita Gaspar
Associated Staff and Collaborators: João Pedro Tereso
