Dugouts in Portugal

Filipe Castro

Only a small number of dugouts have been found in Portugal, and they are not fully studied. This page intends to serve as an inventory of the finds and perhaps a first step to a sistematic study of the early watercraft of Portugal. There is some confusion with the names under which these dugouts have been referenced, and this page also intends to clarify which dugout was found or reportedly seen, and where. So far, there are references to 11 dugouts in Portugal, of which five are lost:

Peniche lost dugout (CNS 23621) – Seems to have been found sometime before 1889 in the region of Peniche. It was destroyed by the population.

Fontão lost dugout, Ponte do Lima (CNS 24331) – Seems to have been reported (no date published) measuring 3.8 m in length, having a beam of 0.5 m, and a total height of 0.30 to 0.35 m. It is lost.

Rio Lima lost dugout 1 (CNS 24336) – There is a reference to another dugout seen (no date published) on the left margin of the Lima River, also lost.

Rio Lima lost dugout 2 (CNS 24329 and CNS 24330) – There is a reference to a large dugout, with 0.70 m of beam and 0.60 m of total height, found somewhere near Lanheses, on the Lima River. It was reported buried, almost in a vertical position, and then lost.

Vila Nova de Mil Fontes lost dugout (CNS 23662) – There is a refence to a dugout found around Vila Nova de Mil Fontes, Odemira, reported in the winter of 1876 (?) and used as firewood before Estácio da Veiga could recover it. Bibliographical refence: Veiga, Sebastião Filipe Martins Estácio da, 1891. Antiguidades monumentaes do Algarve: tempos préhistóricos. Lisboa: Imprensa Nacional, 4 vols.

Six have been preserved and are presented below:

Rio Lima dugout 1 (CNS 22629) – Found at Passagem, in the Lima River, in 1985. It is 4.35 m long, 0.50-60 m in beam and around 0.30 in height. It was dated to circa 1000-1100 CE. Bibliographical references: Alves, Francisco J.S., 1986 “A Piroga Monóxila de Geraz de Lima” in O Arqueólogo Português, Vol. 4, 4ª Série. Lisboa, Museu Nacional de Arqueologia e Etnologia, pp. 209-234.

Rio Lima dugout 2 (CNS 24060, Proc. 1996/012) – Found in the Lima River, in 1996. It is 3.85 m long, 0.55 m in beam and 0.45 m high. It was dated to circa 700-900. Bibliographical references: Martins, Adolfo Silveira, 2014 “Rio Lima, Lugar da Passagem, Lanheses. 2ª Metade do século VII final do século IX” in Martins, Adolfo Silveira, ed., O Tempo Resgatado ao Mar. Lisboa: Museu Nacional de Arqueologia, p. 159. Carvalho, António; Coelho, João, 2014. “Cooperação internacional no domínio da conservação: A liofilização da piroga monóxila 2 do rio Lima” in Martins, Adolfo Silveira, ed., O Tempo Resgatado ao Mar. Lisboa: Museu Nacional de Arqueologia, pp. 37-40.

Rio Lima dugout 3 or Mazarefe dugout (CNS 24132, Proc. 1996/011) – Found in the Lima River, near Mazarefe, Viana do Castelo. It is 4.65 m long and has 0.60 m of beam. Dated to the Islamic Medieval period circa 650-900.

Rio Lima dugout 4 (CNS 24329, Proc. 2002/099) – Found near Passagem, is 6.61 m long, with a beam of 0.90 m. It was dated to circa 300 BCE and was extended with pegged mortise and tenon joints. Bibliographical references: Belo, Mónica, 2003. “Águas passadas” in Grande Reportagem 14.152: 78-82. Alves F., and Rieth, E., 2007. As pirogas 4 e 5 do Rio Lima. Trabalhos do CNANS, 21.

Rio Lima dugout 5 (CNS 21902, Proc. 2003/059) – Found near Passagem, is 6.61 m long, with a beam of 0.90 m. It was dated to circa 300 BCE. Bibliographical references: Belo, Mónica, 2003. “Águas passadas” in Grande Reportagem 14.152: 78-82. Alves F., and Rieth, E., 2007. As pirogas 4 e 5 do Rio Lima. Trabalhos do CNANS, 21.

Rio Lima dugout 6 (CNS 30623, Proc. 2008/041) – Found in the Lima River. Not published.