Canadian students help “unearth” the story of Cacela Velha

The archaeological excavations returned to Cacela Velha, in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António, about three weeks ago. […]

The archaeological excavations returned to Cacela Velha, in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António, about three weeks ago. THE latest campaign at this archaeological site it brings together researchers from the Algarve, the University of Algarve and the Regional Directorate of Culture, but it also has extra help, coming from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, more precisely from Canada.

About two dozen Simon Fraser University students have been in the Algarve since the beginning of June to participate in an archeology school-camp, part of the project “Muslims and Christians in Medieval Cacela: changing territory and identities”, which will allow, for at least the next four years, Portuguese and foreign scientists may be on the ground, deepening their knowledge of Cacela Velha's past.

Young Canadian students are already hands on and to contribute to the ongoing excavations, which Sul Informação has been accompanied through chronicles written by Cristina Tété Garcia and Maria João Valente, co-coordinators of the campaign [follow the link to read the first, a second and third «Chronicle of an Archaeological Excavation»].

Before going to the field, the young archeology students had to learn as much as possible about Cacela and the remains of the Islamic and medieval period that exist there, the targets of this campaign. For this, they had the help of the Portuguese Hugo Cardoso, their teacher and the coordinator of the Canadian component of the field-school.

 

Hugo Cardoso did not have to work hard to convince his students to join this adventure on Portuguese soil.

“The school-camp has generated a lot of interest and one of the main reasons for this is that archeology students in Canada have few opportunities to work in such a field. This is a project that involves an excavation in a medieval cemetery, with human remains, which is an aspect that these students, as a rule, are not exposed to. This has to do with cultural, ethical and colonial reasons," he explained to Sul Informação the professor at Simon Fraser University.

This leads young Canadians to choose "to gain experience in Europe or South America." "This field school also ends up adding a cultural component, which is to explore the historical and cultural heritage of the Algarve, which is attractive for Canadian students," he added.

This desire to know other realities was the main reason why Sarah, who is doing a degree in archeology at Simon Fraser, decided to join the field school. «Part of my motivation had to do with the trip itself, as I had never been to Portugal. On the other hand, this is a bio-archaeological and anthropological excavation, which is what I love to do», explained the Canadian student.

“The first week was a kind of quick course, which I liked. Because, obviously, it is very different from what exists in Canada, but also from the most popular periods, for those who are not connected to the area, such as the Roman period. The Islamic and medieval period is a little less known, but I like the idea that we will be the ones to discover it for ourselves and that our work will promote knowledge about that era”, he added.

Ellyi, who is taking her PhD, also took the same rapid course, although in her case much of the information is not new. This is not the first time in Portugal, far from it.

«This is my fourth time in Portugal. But it's been quite different, because from the others I've been in the Tagus area, in Santarém. I had only visited the Algarve once, on vacation. It's good to be here in the region for longer and be able to enjoy. The other times I've been doing my own research, but it's good to be in a classroom again, even though it's different. I'm excited to be going out into the field and I think we all are,” summed up Ellyi.

The classroom training part is not the same thing as get your hands dirty, but nevertheless it was “very interesting”, in Ellyi's view. «We had several classes where they taught us about the Islamic and medieval period. I already know this period well, as this is what my investigation is about, but for my colleagues it was very important. We also had a very good class on ceramics, to understand what kind of pieces we can find», he concluded.

“The first week was the second phase of a course they did for an introduction to the field school. I made an introduction with questions related to the history of Portugal and the Algarve, with practical aspects on how to excavate human remains in a cemetery. In another phase, still on the University of Algarve's campus in Gambelas, we had here several specialists talking about their area, in order to understand the historical, archeological and cultural reality of Cacela Velha», framed Hugo Cardoso.

In recent weeks, in addition to fieldwork, Canadian students have also taken the opportunity to get to know the Algarve region and other points of cultural interest. «We're going to make full-day visits and stop by Faro (Milreu), Silves, Lagos, Tavira, Mértola, Alcoutim and Vila Real de Santo António».

Excavation of a Cacela Skeleton

Despite having been living and working in Canada “for just over five years”, Hugo Cardoso was born and raised in Portugal. "My initial university training was done here and then I did a PhD in Canada, between 2001 and 2005," he told the Sul Informação.

The professor and researcher also returned to Portugal to “search for an academic career linked to archeology or forensic sciences”, but this proved to be “difficult” and he ended up returning to Canadian soil to work at Simon Fraser University.

Meanwhile, Hugo created «a friendship with Maria João Valente», at a time when the researcher from the University of Algarve was teaching a guide course at Centro Cultural de Belém.

«I was the guide for that exhibition, at the time I was still a kid. I later contacted her because I was interested in returning to work in Portugal in archeology. That's when she told me about Cacela's project and I saw an opportunity to combine my interest in the Islamic period with the possibility of creating a school camp and bringing Canadian students, physical and technical resources to help with the excavation», she said.

Hugo Cardoso was in the Algarve in 2017, to be with Maria João Valente and Cristina Garcia and to idealize the field-school project now in progress. “I think things are going really well, we've been working really well. This project seems to me an excellent opportunity, both for students to learn, and for the Algarve, as a region, to be able to take the opportunity to disseminate and protect its heritage».

Young Canadians will soon return to their country, but they may have more opportunities to return in the coming years, as this field-school component is one of the honor points of the archaeological campaign that the Regional Directorate of Culture of the Algarve, the University of Algarve and the Chamber of VRSA are promoting in Cacela.

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