VIPASCA
(Aljustrel) Alentejo, Portugal.
A
village near Beja which exploited copper, gold, and silver
mines. A structure which served perhaps as the administrative center has been partially uncovered, E of the mine. A necropolis, however, has been completely explored.
The political disturbances of A.D. 260-270 seem to
have reduced mining activity. In the shafts (square or
circular, ca. 1 m in diameter or on a side) and in the
galleries (1 m wide, max. ht. 1.2 m) were found baskets
for carrying the ore, reels, winches, pulleys, spoons, and
gutters made of oak. One gallery, 750 m long and
60 m deep, 20 m below the water level, apparently served
as a drainage channel. Since the Roman works went
down to 120 m, there must have been some method of
raising the water from the lower levels up to this channel
or gallery. In the slag were found two bronze tablets: the
first contains the measures in effect for the local mining
district (inetallum vipascense); the second, passages of
the laws referring to the Roman mines. The finds have
been distributed among the museums of Aljustrel and
Beja, and the National Museum of Archaeology and
the Geological Service in Lisbon.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A. & J. Alarcão, “O espólio da necrópole luso-roinana de Valdoca (Aljustrel),”
Conimbriga 5 (1966) 7-104
P; R. Freire d'Andrade, “A lavra romana das minas de Algares e na herdade de Montinho,”
Actas
e Memórias de I Congresso Nacional de Arqueologia,
Lisboa 2 (1970) 273-85; C. Domèrgue & R. Freire d'Andrade, “Sondages 1967 et 1969 à Aljustrel,”
Conimbriga
9 (1971) 99.116
MPI.
J. ALARCÃO
