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Since we’re having an easy Sunday morning and haven’t done anything yet, I thought I’d share some additional photos from the Carmo Museum. I know there are some archeology buffs in the audience, so these are especially for you.
As I mentioned yesterday, it’s a modest place with an incredible collection. And frankly, I didn’t think it was worth our time, but boy was I wrong.
The earliest pieces are from the Neolithic, stone tools, scrapers, etc. Then an amazing display from the Chalcolithic (Copper Age,) regarded as the transition between the Neolithic and Bronze age, 7000 to 5000 years before present. Most of these pieces were collected in ancient tombs. From there, to the Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, Moors, and the 12th century Reconquista when the Moors were expelled. The Christian Era extends another 3 centuries until everything changes in the Age of Discovery when Portugal opened commercial trading routes to India and southeast Asia. Followed then by artifacts from the New World and finally the golden age of Portugal when wealth was flowing in from the colonies and the wealthier families began to build manors for their dynasties.
I’ve arranged them below from older to newer. Labels where they make sense. As always, click the photo to get the film strip and a larger image.

Neolithic and Chalcolithic ritual objects and spear/arrow points









 Visigoth belt buckle detail



Christian Era tombs



Age of Discovery panel, family crest on the far side, Hindu art facing
 

Golden Age tilework and New World artifacts













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