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Portugal is a paradise for those drawn to the fascinating and mysterious realms of ancient history. Sharing a European peninsula with Spain, Portugal's human heritage stretches back to the dawn of prehistory.
This country hosts some of the most ancient, monumental, and unique discoveries ever uncovered. The remains of early ancestors still offer secrets hidden within the ruins, DNA, and eerie skeletons they left behind.
10. The Valongo Formation
Just outside the town of Arouca, enormous bugs once roamed a tile quarry. These creatures perished 450 million years ago, creating a fossil bed called the Valongo Formation. Trilobites scurried across ancient ocean floors, and their fossils, while abundant, are often of poor quality.
However, when discovered in 2009, these creatures were revealed to be the largest trilobites ever recorded on Earth. Typically, these hard-shelled marine animals reached only the size of a thumbnail, with a rare specimen measuring 71 centimeters (28 inches). The largest Arouca specimen set a world record at 76 centimeters (30 inches). Other species found were remarkably large as well.
The discovery sparked debates about why some individuals ranged from ordinary to colossal. One theory suggests they frequently molted, shedding their exoskeletons as they grew throughout their lives. But it wasn’t just the unusual size of the creatures that made this site a UNESCO World Heritage site; it was the sheer abundance of fossils found here.
In certain locations, as many as twenty-four fossils were stacked atop one another. The reasons behind this gathering remain unclear, but the mass extinction event could provide new insights into the behavior and environmental shifts that may have led to this tragic fate.
9. The Oldest Crocodilian Eggs
In 2017, researchers scaled cliffs near Lourinha, having spent considerable time excavating dinosaur nests. On this particular expedition, however, they stumbled upon eggs that were unlike any they had encountered before.
To their surprise, nestled between the dinosaur eggs were those of a crocodilian. Laid more than 152 million years ago, this clutch represents the earliest crocodilian eggs ever discovered.
The remains were so well-preserved that scientists were able to estimate the size of the mother. At 2 meters (6 feet) long, she was not a true crocodile, but rather a close relative. She belonged to a group of prehistoric crocodilian species known as 'crocodylomorphs.'
These crocodylomorphs were the ancestors of today's crocodiles, the fearsome predators lurking around waterholes worldwide. While crocodilians’ appearances once varied greatly and they inhabited diverse environments and hunted different prey, the Lourinha eggs show that their fundamental design has changed very little over millions of years.
8. The Mysterious Bronze Age Civilization
Recent excavations in the Alentejo plain have uncovered traces of an ancient settlement that was far more than a humble village with livestock. Archaeologists discovered grand battle walls and fortifications, once spanning 17 hectares. These defenses included a double stone wall, ramps, and bastions.
In 2016, the site also unveiled mysterious stone art known as 'cup marks,' a common feature across western Europe. The site, named Outeiro do Circo, offers a rare window into the lives of those who inhabited prehistoric Portugal long before the country rose to prominence through its colonial endeavors.
The creators of this monumental settlement left few clues about their identity. They likely belonged to a larger Late Bronze Age (1250–850 BC) community, which was composed of several smaller satellite settlements scattered throughout the region.
Outeiro do Circo was clearly a site of great significance and possibly under threat, given the considerable effort put into constructing its massive walls. To reinforce the structure, people hauled large quantities of wood up the hill and set it ablaze to strengthen the foundations.
7. Resilient Steppe Defenders
Around 6,000 years ago, people from the Eurasian Steppe migrated into Europe. Ancient DNA revealed extensive intermingling with the local populations. However, violent evidence suggests their arrival was less of a peaceful integration and more of a forceful takeover. This cultural domination was further solidified by the spread of their Indo-European language across Europe. Yet, one region managed to resist the invaders.
In 2017, researchers sought to determine whether the Eurasian migrants had any connection to a sudden cultural shift that occurred during the same period on the Iberian Peninsula. The team analyzed DNA extracted from 14 skeletons found in Portugal, including individuals from both the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.
The ancient Iberian genes revealed a subtle distinction between the Neolithic and Bronze Age populations. Any Eurasian genes likely originated from a minor migration into the region rather than a full-scale invasion. The cultural shift in Iberia was entirely self-driven.
The absence of a takeover explains why Iberia remained home to languages that cannot be traced to any Indo-European origins. How the Iberians managed to fend off invaders while other regions succumbed remains an unsolved mystery.
6. The Medieval Madura Foot
Archaeologists recently examined a medieval burial site in Estremoz, southern Portugal, where they uncovered a man with unusual injuries.
His left foot was severely damaged—not due to violence or an accident, but as a result of disease. The heel bone was perforated with holes, fused with the ankle, and the bones in the center of his foot were all affected. The disease extended to the lower leg as well.
Experts identified the condition as a probable case of Madura foot. First discovered in Madura, India, in the 19th century, this disease had never been seen in medieval Europe. It is caused by a fungus contracted when walking on contaminated soil. After entering a foot wound, the fungus damages bones, and amputation was likely the only means of survival.
The Portuguese case is peculiar and rare. One of only three ancient instances, it had never been documented in the region. While it's possible the man was infected elsewhere, researchers believe that the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (AD 1000–1400) could have warmed the soil enough to support the fungus' survival in southern Portugal.
5. Tumor With Teeth
During excavations in 2010–2011, a burial site in Lisbon revealed a disturbing discovery. A middle-aged woman from the 15th century was found with a tumor near her pelvis, and it contained human teeth.
The researchers were working at the Church and Convent of Carmo when they uncovered the cyst. Identified as a teratoma, this common ovarian tumor forms when cells destined to become eggs misbehave. Rather than forming eggs, the cells generate human tissues like hair, bones, and teeth.
In this particular case, five molars were clearly visible, along with signs of bones. The tumor measured 4.3 centimeters (1.7 inches) across. However, it's impossible to determine whether the woman experienced any symptoms from the mass.
While some modern cases present no symptoms, others cause excruciating pain. Since many teratomas develop as simple tissue balls, the tooth-filled tumor offers a rare opportunity to study unusual ancient cases.
4. Bodies In The Trash
In another archaeological excavation, just outside of Lisbon, a dozen bodies were uncovered. This was not a proper cemetery. Nine women and three men had been disposed of in a known refuse site that was in use from 1568 to 1634.
While their identities remain a mystery, the location provides a significant clue. The site was once referred to as the Jail Cleaning Yard and was utilized by the Inquisition Court in Evora.
The Portuguese Inquisition, which began in 1536, was a cruel campaign aimed at the Jews. It banned Jewish rituals, and most of those arrested were accused of secretly practicing their faith. Many perished due to the horrific prison conditions, while hundreds more were burned at the stake. After death, Jews were denied their traditional burial rights.
The twelve skeletons, discovered during the 2007–08 renovations of the court building, also showed no sign of formal burial. Instead, they had been discarded as refuse. All evidence suggests that these individuals were Jewish victims of the Portuguese Inquisition.
3. Portugal Discovered Australia
Two ancient pieces of evidence could potentially rewrite the history of Australia. One is a 400-year-old manuscript, and the other is a set of charts drawn in the early 16th century.
Popular history states that Captain James Cook from England discovered Australia in the 18th century. However, the manuscript, dating back to 1580–1620, features a mysterious creature that looks like a kangaroo or wallaby. This even predates the Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon, who reached Australia in 1606. Some experts argue that the creature depicted is a rearing deer.
If the chart set can be verified, it would completely erase the Dutch claim to Australia. Found in a bookshop in Australia in 1999, these charts depict a coastline that strongly resembles Australia's. The hand-drawn maps, written in Portuguese, date back to the 1520s, nearly 250 years before Cook's famous voyage.
Software corrected a mistake previously made by later cartographers who had mistakenly rearranged the pieces. When one of the charts was rotated 90 degrees, the map as a whole aligned perfectly with a large portion of Australia’s eastern coastline. Perhaps, in the future, a statue will commemorate Portuguese explorer Cristovao Mendonca, the maker of these charts, as the first European to reach Australia.
2. Amputation On The Living
A truly chilling discovery from medieval Portugal surfaced in 2001. A necropolis near the town of Estremoz revealed 97 skeletons, three of which exhibited savage, brutal injuries.
The men’s hands and feet had been severed and were found buried next to or beneath their bodies. The bones of the hands and feet were found together, indicating that the body parts had not scattered after death, but had been deliberately placed in the grave as severed limbs.
Even more disturbingly, the cut marks on the skeletons indicated that the amputations took place while the young men were still alive. They likely perished from blood loss shortly after. One individual endured intense suffering, as his remains showed an initial failed attempt to sever his lower legs before a final blow succeeded.
Between the 13th and 15th centuries, thieves often faced the penalty of having their hands amputated. However, finding three people together with all their limbs severed marks a medieval first. These men could have been victims of torture, though it is more likely they were criminals convicted of particularly serious offenses.
1. Neolithic Telescopes
In the town of Carregal do Sal in Portugal, there are tombs that served a dual purpose. Besides housing the deceased, certain tombs were specially constructed to make stars visible that would otherwise be hidden from the naked eye.
The megalithic structures were dark enough inside to enhance the view of the night sky. One only had to stand at the center of the tomb and look outward through the entrance passage.
This was not mere inactivity. Astronomers suggest there was a crucial reason why the community needed to identify specific stars 6,000 years ago. One such star was likely Aldebaran. Thirteen of Carregal do Sal’s graves were aligned to capture this brilliant star. As it rose toward the end of April or early May, it offered a reliable signal for the commencement of their summer migration.
But what was the connection between astronomy and a cemetery? It’s possible that Aldebaran’s significance went beyond marking the calendar and could have been viewed as a protector of the dead or a visible symbol of a ‘heaven.’
