07 May 2024 : Alexandra Pires and Rui Almeida -
The islamic baths of Loulé, from archaeological ruin to museum.
Rui de Almeida and Alexandra Pires will be talking about the archaeological work and research developed at the “Casa das Bicas” in Loulé.
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The excavations carried out at various times between 2006 and 2019 revealed a noble house from the 15th/16th century (Casa Senhorial dos Barreto/Barreto Stately Home) and a public Islamic bathhouse from the 12th century AD. The Islamic Baths have recently been classified as a National Monument, as it is the only one of its kind and chronology known so far in Portugal.
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Since 2015, the main objective of the work has been the restoration of the building and Islamic Baths, and the creation of a museum. The aim of the project was to allow public access and improve public awareness of this cultural heritage. This talk is therefore not based solely on an archaeological approach; Rui de Almeida and Alexandra Pires will also be highlighting some of the main issues encountered during the rehabilitation of the site, the bathhouse and the overlying noble house. It was necessary to achieve a balance between the past and present, respecting and integrating the pre-existing remains and the architectural elements. This is the story of an emblematic site, from an archaeological ruin to a museum, belonging to the Municipal Museum of Loulé.
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Alexandra Pires has a degree in History with a specialization in Archaeology from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Lisbon, and post-graduate degrees in Archaeology and Tourism (specialization Cultural Heritage). She has authored numerous articles on the scientific dissemination of archaeological heritage, and for the past 15 years, her work has primarily centered on the urban dynamics of the city of Loulé. She currently leads the Operational Unit of Archaeology and Museology. She is involved in teams producing content for exhibitions and is also responsible for various activities catering to diverse audiences related to Loulé's heritage, with a particular emphasis on disseminating archaeological heritage. She was part of the team responsible for coordinating the temporary exhibition "With Feet on the Ground and Hands in the Sea: 6000 Years of Quarteira's History," as well as for the long-term exhibition held at the museum space of the Banhos Islâmicos e Casa Senhorial dos Barreto (Islamic Baths and Barreto Stately Home). She is currently working on developing the future museum program of the Loulé Municipal Museum.
Rui Roberto de Almeida has a degree in History/Archaeology, a Master's degree in Prehistory and Archeology, and a postgraduate degree in Tourism. He currently works in the Division of Culture, Museum and Heritage of the Loulé City Council and is a researcher at UNIARQ-Center for Archeology at the University of Lisbon. Over the past 20 years, he has focused his research on the Classical World, specifically studying the production and trade of food between Lusitania and the provinces of the Roman Empire. This is also the focus of his doctoral research. He has also dedicated other works not only to other topics in the world of Roman ceramics, but also to Medieval and Modern ceramics, and has conducted archaeological excavations and monographic studies in these domains in Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands. He has also carried out and participated in various editorial projects (monographs and exhibition catalogs) and museological and museographic projects, including the exhibition “LOULÉ. Territories, Memories, Identities”, as well as for the long-term exhibition held at the museum space of the Banhos Islâmicos e Casa Senhorial dos Barreto (Islamic Baths and Barreto Stately Home). He is currently working on developing the future museum program of the Loulé Municipal Museum.
Rui Roberto de Almeida has a degree in History/Archaeology, a Master's degree in Prehistory and Archeology, and a postgraduate degree in Tourism. He currently works in the Division of Culture, Museum and Heritage of the Loulé City Council and is a researcher at UNIARQ-Center for Archeology at the University of Lisbon. Over the past 20 years, he has focused his research on the Classical World, specifically studying the production and trade of food between Lusitania and the provinces of the Roman Empire. This is also the focus of his doctoral research. He has also dedicated other works not only to other topics in the world of Roman ceramics, but also to Medieval and Modern ceramics, and has conducted archaeological excavations and monographic studies in these domains in Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands. He has also carried out and participated in various editorial projects (monographs and exhibition catalogs) and museological and museographic projects, including the exhibition “LOULÉ. Territories, Memories, Identities”, as well as for the long-term exhibition held at the museum space of the Banhos Islâmicos e Casa Senhorial dos Barreto (Islamic Baths and Barreto Stately Home). He is currently working on developing the future museum program of the Loulé Municipal Museum.
