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Archaeological Site of Povoa do Mileu (Guard) (*)-an enigma in the city of Guarda

January 20, 2011 by Castile
Categories: Municipalities , District-Guard , Guard , More , All articles

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Many egitanenses that are rushed, not seen, and probably some never visited the Archaeological Site of Povoa do Mileu consists of an area by a simple Roman and Romanesque church. The first one does not know specifically its functionality and second, although small and not have the majesty of other monuments of this style in our country, especially when we consider the ways we have found to the north of the river Douro, it remains the best example the entire Beira Interior together with the Church of Santiago de Belmonte (**).
The Archaeological Site of Povoa do Mileu
The archaeological site was discovered in 1951, following the opening of the road to the Gare Guard, having been then identified what appeared to be a Roman villa with a spa together. The beginning of the occupation remains unknown, and it was however found a bracelet-one would come in bronze (Bronze Age or Iron), and unexpectedly served as a ring at the door.

Mileu 300x225 Estação Arqueológica da Póvoa do Mileu (Guarda) (*) um enigma na cidade da Guarda The Archaeological Site of Povoa do Mileu Quarter and Old Castles
The hill is adjacent to the toponymy of Old Castles and have been occupied during the Iron Age and Roman times. How is the archaeological site at Mileu, may be related to the adjacent hill?
It was recently discovered in the old castles of a coin Visigothic Égica (King of the Visigoths in the seventh century), which may assume a continued occupation until at least the end of the eighth century. The space has been occupied by a housing complex that can heal some archaeological remains. The big buzz in the neighborhood of the Old Castle was released in 2009.
Votive altar dedicated to God in Banda Brialeacus Archaeological Site of Povoa do Mileu
It was discovered a Votive Altar of AD, dedicated to the Gods Brialeacus Band. Only there is another site dedicated to this God. It is in the Castro Orjais (in the chapel of Our Lady of the Head) (*) in the municipality of Covilha. The discovery of this piece in the Guard is even more relevant given that is not yet known, internationally, with another discovery Brialeacus specificity. Old castles existed in a well Romanized indigenous population. The number epigraph is the Municipal Museum Guard.
The archaeological site, which still continues to be the target of exploration, consists of objects and remains of Roman buildings.

igreja e vila romana do mileu guarda 300x225 Estação Arqueológica da Póvoa do Mileu (Guarda) (*) um enigma na cidade da Guarda The excavated area to the south of the chapel stands out: a room with tripartite apse facing north, communicating with various structures, the existence of a hypocaust and remnants of rooms, courtyards, corridors. Among the booty recovered, include remains of columns and equipped ashlars, coins II to IV century, an inscription dedicated to the gods and manes series sigillata ceramics and common lucernas and marble friezes. Under the chapel, found two fragments of marble statues, including an imperial torso. Some material is deposited at the Museu Municipal Guard. What would all this? A simple villa, a small settlement, a religious space or spaced in all this time?
The spa, according to Jorge Alarcão, may be public, not private, as can be seen by the thickness and the statue of muors loricata found here and attributable to the time of Trajan.
The Romanesque chapel of Our Lady of Povoa do Mileu
The Romanesque temple was built in the late Middle Ages, probably after the transfer of the head of the diocesan Egitânia (now Idanha-a-Velha) (**) for the Guard, in command of D. Sancho I.

mileu 3 300x206 Estação Arqueológica da Póvoa do Mileu (Guarda) (*) um enigma na cidade da Guarda It is a simple piece of Romanesque architecture typical, squat and dense in its inertial mass of small proportions and archaic characteristics. It consists of two juxtaposed bodies: nave and chancel reduced quadrangular, lower and narrower. The main facade is very simple, without any imaginary, however rosacea embellishes it with slightly Mudejar feature. The sides are also rudimentary.
But what is most fascinating about the whole iconography of the cantilevers in the side walls, with geometric figuration (half spheres, St. Andrew's Cross, cartouches, pyramids, palmettes, rosettes ...), vegetal and zoomorphic (birds, wolves head? And strange heads human). Inside the capitals of the triumphal arch are decorated: the North side with a female human head, which is approaching a wild animal and vegetal various elements, the South side, with two birds affronted, around a stylized Tree Life and many other small demonic heads in the angles. It follows that the program reveals sculptural interest, which should be better publicized. Although the temple is of the Romanesque style, also has components that demonstrate the transition to the Gothic, such as the triumphal arch of the chancel.
Plasticity archaic carved into the granite of this and other Romanesque churches, especially when the imperfection and doubt persist, tonics are directed to our imagination, but also to the intellect and to all the senses, so much like this style!
The devotion and pilgrimage to our Lady of Mileu, probably already existed in the late thirteenth century and is as yet impossible to say what the origin of the existing chapel and the invocation of that Lady, the chapel may have been the hermitage of passage (for Santiago de Compostela). Here is a link to one of the legends of the chapel.
The set also includes the large yard, (which must reserve your secrets in the basement?) And a vernacular housing. I ask egitanenses to discover and appreciate this space. Recommend the continuation of their study, the removal of urgent execrable petrol stations, construction of a small garden, with evocation of all these remarkable and ignored, it can connect you to the urbanization of the Old Castle Hill.

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