2012 - July : Vale de Boi Excavation Open Day
This was held at the archaeological site directed by Prof Nuno Bicho (UALG). A number of AAA members went along to this public open day and were able to view the excavations in progress.
The site was discovered in 1998 after an extensive fieldwalking and geophysical survey as part of the project ‘A Ocupação Humana Paleolitica do Algarve’ which included the valley of the Ribeira de Val de Boi. The excavations began in 2000 and have concentrated on a hill side terrace and a rock shelter and finds indicate that there had been occupation for about 30.000 years primarily concerned with hunter-gathering activities. Evidence of this time line could be seen in the 10m deep trench under excavation.
On display for the visitors were examples of the finds from the site: lithics, animal bones – deer, horse, prehistoric cattle, and boar together with marine molluscs. Of particular interest was a piece of schist on which an early man had scratched the outline of a deer.
