Survey project for the archaeological sites of Outeiro de Arnás and Alto do Circo (Verín, Ourense) by using remote sensing techniques

Location: Verín (Galicia).

Dates: 17-23, April 2017.

Promoter: RomanArmy research collective.

Fieldwork management: Rebeca Blanco-Rotea.

Fieldwork technical staff: José M. Costa-García, João Fonte, Manuel Gago Mariño, Erik Carlsson-Brandt.

Other collaborators: Bruno Rúa, José L. Lozano Rúa, Sara Traba Rotea, Nieves Amado Rolán.

Aims: The main goal of this campaign was the documentation, registration and study of the enclosures located in Outeiro de Arnás and O Alto do Circo, so they could be characterised from a chrono-typological perspective. In order to better document the structures, the vegetation canopy was removed in certain sectors of the sites. Besides, the defences were also mapped on surface by using a submetric GPS and from the air using UAV photogrammetric techniques. Finally, we carried out an artefactual and magnetic field survey in both sites, trying to locate new material evidences.

Results: This archaeological survey allowed us to accurately define the perimeter defences of the sites. The configuration of the defences of Outeiro de Arnás, as well as some recovered materials, allowed us to identify this site as a small Roman military outpost. Unfortunately, it is not possible yet to propose a precise chronology for O Alto do Circo.

Literature: You can access to a bibliographic repertoire that gathers the results of our research as they come to light (HERE).

Cooperative institutions/bodies: Síncrisis Research group, University of Santiago de Compostela; Institute of Heritage Sciences (Incipit), CSIC; Verín Town Council; Monterrei Culture and Land Cultural Association; Alto Támega Cultural Association.