António Ginja

Assuming that aesthetics, as the perception we have of beauty in nature and art, shapes our view of the world, Património na Estética do seu Tempo (Heritage in the Aesthetics of its Time) explores the relationship of interdependence between aesthetic thinking and attitudes towards cultural heritage, from the 18th century to the present day.
Between aesthetic trends and art history mechanisms, we set out in search of the repercussions of aesthetically considered strategies on cultural heritage. At the same time, effects on aesthetic perception are sought, resulting from scientific, philosophical and ideological trends of different historical periods, capable of also having repercussions on heritage expedients. Through the appreciation built in each era of the beauty of its monuments, archaeological ruins and objects, works of art and cultural manifestations, it is questioned to what extent heritage was, after all, conditioned by the aesthetics of its time.
DOI 10.14195/978-989-26-2554-6

Located in the old medieval outskirts of Coimbra, a residential building has traditionally been named "medieval house”, due to its architecture, consistent with what was in vogue in Portuguese cities of the late medieval period. However, the opening of parietal archaeological surveys in the building revealed techniques, materials and construction systems that were used right until the eighteenth century.
The archaeological interpretation and the art-historical analysis of the architecture of the “medieval house” of Coimbra offer a unique opportunity to reflect on some architectural paradigms. Comparing it with other buildings and with iconographic sources, its chronotypology was analyzed and the diachrony of the constructive models adopted in this house demonstrated. Questioning its chronological epithet, the persistence of certain habits and constructive archetypes were explored, as well as the tension between private and public spaces, deepened by living and working in the same place.

“The vanished alley of Leiria’s medieval Jewish quarter. Rethinking urbanism from the discovery of a street”. An archaeological intervention in close connection to the rehabilitation of a building at Leiria’s historic centre, within the area occupied by the Jewish quarter during the Middle Ages, revealed an unknown vanished alley. Initially flanked by two different houses, the alley was continuously occupied by constructions, until it completely disappeared. Leiria’s historic centre urban layout, known for its typical “herringbone” organization, may still to this day be observed in current plans of the city. Despite the many and significant historiographic contributions, its urban characteristics, namely those of the Jewish medieval quarter, remain however to be analysed, even in the most recent theoretical approaches to the Portuguese medieval urbanism. Therefore, the discovery of a medieval vanished alley and the archaeological interpretation of the structures now exposed offers a singular opportunity to reconsider some aspects of the medieval urbanism of Leiria. In light of new evidence, Leiria’s medieval urban allotment and housing are analysed. Taking into account the current and old cartography of this city historic centre, the framework and processes of development and transformation adjacent to its cross shaped planning are examined.

For its 8º centunary the Junta de Freguesia do Souto da Carpalhosa (Town Council of Souto da Carpalhosa) promoted a series of archaeological, historical and etnographic researches, resulting in the publication of a monograph study: Souto da Carpalhosa – Oito Séculos de História. Among the results, a necropolis near the town’s church would reveal proof of settling dating back to the second half of the XVI century. Pre-historical artifacts also came to light, as well as evidence of vanished farms and villages. An inventory of the remaining traditional houses and economic means in the region, such as mills and presses, was also conducted, revealing long gone traditions, livelihoods and ways of life.

This thesis is divided into four chapters. It starts with the problematization of the concepts of intervention and rehabilitation of architectural legacies as active agents of history itself, aiming to question the contribution of architectural stratigraphy in the adoption of different strategies for the rehabilitation of architecture. From the stratigraphic heritage of archaeology, it then progresses to the conjectures that led to the affirmation of architecture as a document subject to archaeological interpretation. It encompasses acceptance and rejection of the archaeology of architecture, in order to discuss the institutional and legislative frameworks that led to its establishment in Portugal. From the consecration of architecture as an archaeological heritage, listing the main problems of architectural archaeology, it moves on to discussing possible ways to improve its performance in the scientific field and as a tool for safeguarding Portuguese architectural legacy.

Of High Middle Ages origins, the Castle of Leiria has naturally undergone different structural changes, mostly striving to adapt to the new military defense evolutions, specific to the circumstances it has met through the ages it remained relevant in military terms.
In the present study, the military structures of the castle’s Sector A, one of the three areas into witch the fortress is traditionally subdivided, have for the first time in its history been under stratigraphic analysis, based upon an intensive photometric survey. This method, grounded on the principles of Vertical Archaeology, has allowed to determine the constructive sequence of several erected sets and therefore attempt its chronotypological attribution. Then, compared to different sources as well as to similar chronologically well-defined occurrences, the achieved chronotypology was subsequently adjusted so that each analysed structure could be framed within its own artistic and historical universe.
Thus, different construction moments were defined, some of which already contemplated by the concerning historiography, such as the campaigns of the kings Dinis and John I, respectively leading to the creation of the Keep and the New Palace. Other construction phases, however, had not yet been appropriately set in their chronological frames, generating not entirely accurate typological assumpttions.
The wall base thicker of the so called Last Stronghold, for instance, has been placed in the twenty-first century, when, subjected to the path of both a barbican and a terrace, it could be at best positionated in the middle of the fifteenth century. Likewise, the north wall of the Sector A as been associated to the oldest construction period of the Castle of Leiria. In reality, the alleged base thicker was added to a angular shaped wall, frequently employed in the steep walls from the end of the fifteenth century to the middle of the sixteenth century.
In spite of debilitated, reformed, delapidaded, ruined and restored, the old walls of Leiria’s fortress can, as it seams, still defend enough secrets for many research years to come.
Object of much research, divergent as to the methods but consistent in the desire to reveal its secrets, the Castle of Leiria already relies on a long and devoted historiography. To the many diferent narratives developed over more then a century we propose to add, with the present study, new arguments and so, hopefully, cast a new light upon the old walls of the Castle of Leiria.

Of High Middle Ages origins, the Castle of Leiria has naturally undergone different structural changes, mostly striving to adapt to the new military defense evolutions, specific to the circumstances it has met through the ages it remained relevant in military terms.
In the present study, the military structures of the castle’s Sector A, one of the three areas into witch the fortress is traditionally subdivided, have for the first time in its history been under stratigraphic analysis, based upon an intensive photometric survey. This method, grounded on the principles of Vertical Archaeology, has allowed to determine the constructive sequence of several erected sets and therefore attempt its chronotypological attribution. Then, compared to different sources as well as to similar chronologically well-defined occurrences, the achieved chronotypology was subsequently adjusted so that each analysed structure could be framed within its own artistic and historical universe.
Thus, different construction moments were defined, some of which already contemplated by the concerning historiography, such as the campaigns of the kings Dinis and John I, respectively leading to the creation of the Keep and the New Palace. Other construction phases, however, had not yet been appropriately set in their chronological frames, generating not entirely accurate typological assumpttions.
The wall base thicker of the so called Last Stronghold, for instance, has been placed in the twenty-first century, when, subjected to the path of both a barbican and a terrace, it could be at best positionated in the middle of the fifteenth century. Likewise, the north wall of the Sector A as been associated to the oldest construction period of the Castle of Leiria. In reality, the alleged base thicker was added to a angular shaped wall, frequently employed in the steep walls from the end of the fifteenth century to the middle of the sixteenth century.
In spite of debilitated, reformed, delapidaded, ruined and restored, the old walls of Leiria’s fortress can, as it seams, still defend enough secrets for many research years to come.
Object of much research, divergent as to the methods but consistent in the desire to reveal its secrets, the Castle of Leiria already relies on a long and devoted historiography. To the many diferent narratives developed over more then a century we propose to add, with the present study, new arguments and so, hopefully, cast a new light upon the old walls of the Castle of Leiria.

This paper contains part of the results gathered from the first architectonic study of the Castle of Leiria’s military structers, conducted within a master's dissertation in Art History, from the University of Coimbra, combining Archaeology of Arquitecture and Art History. Among the several defensive structures of this castle, the so called último reduto (last stronghold), a small fortress within the castle itself, would reveal a complex and diachronic construction, unlike any other in the Castle of Leiria. In spite of it’s aparent modest architecture, awarding it classifications such as “conservative project” or “unfinished project”, it is demontrated how the último reduto, resulting of a four constructive phases sequence, is in fact an advanced project, a completely gothic defensive sistem, althow contained within a romanesque castle.

Of High Middle Ages origins, the Castle of Leiria has undergone different structural changes, mostly striving to adapt to the military defense evolutions.
In the present study, the military structures of the castle’s sector A (núcleo A), one of the three areas into witch the fortress is traditionally divided, have been under stratigraphic and artistic analysis, allowing to determine the constructive sequence of several erected sets and therefore attempt its chronotypological attribution.
Thus, different construction moments were defined.
Object of much research, divergent as to the methods but consistent in the desire to reveal its secrets, the Castle of Leiria already relies on a long and devoted historiography. To the many diferent narratives developed over more then a century we propose to add, with the present study, new arguments and so, hopefully, cast a new light upon the old walls of the Castle of Leiria.

For its 8º centunary the Junta de Freguesia do Souto da Carpalhosa (Town Council of Souto da Carpalhosa) promoted a series of archaeological, historical and etnographic researches, resulting in the publication of a monograph study: Souto da Carpalhosa – Oito Séculos de História. An archaeological excavation was then conducted in the churhyard, revealing a necropolis dating back to the XVI century.

The street of Pêro Alvito is located in the Arrabalde da Ponte, the oldest medieval area of Leiria occupated outside its castle walls. During an archaeological intervention carried out in the construction of a building in this street, evidences were detected of local manufacture of Coimbra’s styled faience in the nineteenth century,  fact until then unknown to the city of Leiria.

It was in November of 2008 that we started a sequence of two archaeological interventions on the Convento de São Francisco da Ponte (Coimbra), done within the rehabilitation works of the building. The architecture of São Francisco da Ponte building remained unstudied until then, and it’s constructive process completely unknown. Thus, we initiated a thorough architecture’s archaeologist study, bringing to light new and unexpected perspectives of the building’s architecture.

Around 500 meters from each other, the places of Rodrigo I and Rodrigo II witness the way of life of man who throughout the Calcolitic dedicated themselves to herding activity in the High Mondego valley. In order to perform this activity, small groups of individuals settled in certain seasons at these places, rising shelters with perishing materials and using essentially flour derives as food. Of their presence, as well as their activities, showcase the mass of rocks and the small pits dogged into the stone levelling used to support their shelters, as well as a vast and diverse collection of archaeological materials, like manual ceramics, ‘saddle’ type millstones, polished stone axes or silex retouched plates.

This building resulted from a long construction process, marked by successive structural transformations, different constructive intentions, and changes in the building's relationship with neighbouring buildings. In addition to minor renovations, such as opening up and walling off openings, the building, which originally had three floors, underwent an extensive transformation, adding a new floor and a new roof.

The archaeological intervention, focusing a building at the 26th of Barão de Viamonte Street, Leiria, would reveal housing structures dating back to the jewish medieval quarter of this portuguese city. This structures corroborated the existence of two different small urban areas, separated by a street or alley meanwhile annulled by the construction that would convert the two areas into the present building. This two areas, arranged into narrow and deep rectangles accordingly to medieval urban standards, included two distinct houses, backyards, a well and most certainly a storage area with remains of food supplies pos. The configuration of those areas, and therefore of the street or alley between them, would also be shaped by a irremovable pile of stone rubble, originating on the nearby medieval castle’s hilltop. The two houses would grow both in hight and area during the Modern Ages. According to the archaeological remains, the building’s façade responsable for connecting the two preceding buildings would be erected only in contemporary times (probably in the early nineteenth century), annuling once and for all this forever vanished medieval street.

Identifying several diferent types of construction and stratrigraphic relations allowd a perception of this building’s construction evolution, as well as that of the adjecent buldings, both west and east. The building under analysis was continuously raised by adding new floors, in a process accompanied by the adjacente west building. Several archaeological remains contribuit to such deductions, such as an annulled window, the negative of a vanished roof, the difference between construction types and the interfaces between distinct construction moments.
From the original internal compartmentalisation very little remained. However, some information pointed to the possibility of partition walls supported by wooden Saint Andre’s crosses with durt mortar filling.

This archaeological research revealed several parietal relationships, clarifying the constructive process of the building under analysis, as well as different levels of circulation. It was concluded that the intervened building is the resulte of a phased construction, which began after the second half of the XVII century and, finishing in the mid XX century. The detected staves of an arch, in a reused context on a wall, suggest the recycling of stonework from a building with some constructive nobility. Among the detected ceramic, a faience with a stylized logo of a miter on scepter testifies to the local influence of the nearby Monastery of Alcobaça.

This archaeological research revealed a considerable amont of common ceramic and faience pieces, mainly from Modern and Contemporary Ages. The ceramic findings also includes pieces related to pottery production workshops, consistente with the well known pottery tradition of the area of Coimbra where the site is located, the ancient medieval 'potters' neighborhood'. Some domestic structures were also detected, revealing a urban plannig consistente with the medieval portuguese cities, with walls defining long rectangular lots with narrower fronts facing the street.

In spite of the XVI, XVII e XVIII century pieces of faience exeumed from this site, most of the building shouldn’t date back before the XIX century, since two pieces of XIX century Coimbra’s faience (loiça ‘ratinha’) were under a beam that supported the whole second floor. Inside, the building was compartmentalised after de external walls were built, since the partition all lean against the external walls. To the west, the building had a small patio, annulled buy recently built constructions.

In this archaeological intervention several rubble deposits and preserved structures would be found. Among this structures some would prove belonging to a pottery workshop. Some were related to an earth retaining wall, others to combustion structures. Under the combustion structures a few faience pieces were colected, attributed to the XVIII century, evidence that it souldn’t be older then this century.

This archaeological research would reveal none archaeological structers. Nevertheless, some stratigraphic levels would discloser several ceramic fragments, consistent with the ancient pottery nature of the neighbourhood in which this building is found. Many of the ceramic fragments were consistent with common ceramic containers and cooking pottery, one of which with a logo stamp. Lead glazed pottery was consistent with both containers and large bowls. The faience fragments come manly from table use ceramics, such as small bowls, plates and platters, placed within a XVII century second half to XVIII century period. Besides the clay nature of the soils, a pottery trivets found at this site is also consistent with the ancient pottery nature of this neighbourhood.

Next to the former College of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Ordem de Cristo (commonly knowen as College of Tomar), founded in 1556, currently occupied by the State Penitentiary of Coimbra, builted between 1876 e 1901, and near the former south wall of the Monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra, this archaeological intervention would reveal a simple estratigraphy with almost absent finds. I tis believed that the construction of the house that would motivate the intervention would result in the application of landfill directly over geological levels. Althow some acient underground water pipelines are known to exist nearby, no signs of such structrs were detected.

During this archaeological survey several diferent materials and structures were found, pointing to the ancient medieval neighbourhood of ‘Arrabalde da Ponte’, one of the first ones to emerge outside Leiria’s castle walls. Some masonry pieces for instance exhibit monumental characteristics, suggesting probable origin from the nearby vanished medieval church of São Tiago (Saint James). A cistern/well and habitational structures were also found, both medieval and modern, while others showed clear signs of continuous adaptation and use throughout medieval ages until present days. Signs of pottery workshops were also acknowledged, including clear evidences of attempted production of ‘ratinha’ ceramics, a XIX century faience, until know believed to be exclusively produced in Coimbra.

Four chalcolithic residue pits where excavated in this site, revealing diverse finds, including pottery, loom-weights, arrowheads and lithic tools. All evidence points to a late stage of the Chalcolithic period, diverging from the early to full Bronze Age cronology verified on the nearby site of Casa Branca 2 – area B. The landscape sugests the agricultural nature of this community, confirmed by the presence of manual millstones exumed from the pits.

Trough several excavation pits conducted during the second phase of the rehabilitation of the Convent of São Francisco da Ponte, Coimbra, irrefutable evidence of the unusual direct circulation between the cloister’s courtyard in the second ground and the cloister’s transit in the first ground was detected. We were also able to track down the original configuration of the convent’s latrine and the existence of an open courtyard, completly annulled by structures erected during the industrial occupation of the building. Evidence such as an annulled balcony with it’s remaining gargoyle were also found, as well as prouf that the construction of the dorms wing preceded all constructions in its area of the convent. A vanished chapel or altar was also found underneath rubble deposits. The chapel would precede the chapter house, just as in many other religious buildings, such as in the infirmary of the Monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra, currently occupied by the Jaime Cortesão High School. Several other structures would also be found, such as friary and industrial conducts.

This archaeological investigation would allow us to know the Convent of São Francisco da Ponte, a early XVII century bulding at Coimbra’s doorstep, as never before. In spite of the budget constraints, we were able to analyze the buildings architecture to wich we added the stratigraphic reading of the south elevation according to the methods recommended by Archeology of Architecture. Several diferente constructive moments were established, including the inclusion of preexisting buildings and the annulment of na interior patio. The reutilization of constructive materials was also acknowledged as well as the projection of a main cloister, never constructed. A study was also conducted to analyze the convent’s hydraulic system, resulting in the determination of its collection, adduction, storage, distribution and draining structures. Forteen Archaeological pits were open, revealing several estructures from the period the convent accommodated a factory.