Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
monument;ISL;pt;Mon01;22;ar
Library Location
Saler (Lolly); Faro, Portugal
Notes
This fortified building located on a plateau in the city of Saler forms part of the current village, which is located in the Parocal-Algarve region, between the coast and the mountain range that connects it to the lower Alentejo. The fortified wall has been partially demolished, and is hidden by the houses and orchards of this ancient area of Saler. Based on the visible remains, it can be estimated that the wall was organized in the form of a polygon approaching an irregular hexagon in shape, with the thickness of its walls ranging between 1.8 meters and 2.00 metres. Of this total, the four towers built of rammed earth (tabiyya), with their quadrilateral plan, remain the best preserved elements. One of them, built of solid clay, is located in one of the steepest areas. The tower is located away from the fortified wall, and shows visible remains of paint and architectural finish on the facade opposite the wall. All data indicate that it is an old alignment tower that has lost its upper part that connected it to the wall. These towers, built like others from rammed earth (tabiyya), still retain the remains of broad lines painted in white, present in places that were covered with several layers of mortar, which gives the impression, when viewed from a distance, that they are a wall built of large stones. A large part of the wall that made up the fortified wall was built of rammed earth (tabiyya) reinforced with lime, as was often the case in the construction of fortified places during the 6th - 6th centuries. 7 AH / 12th - 13th centuries AD. However, recent archaeological excavations have revealed sections of the wall built of rubble stone covered with very thick mortar - especially in front of the fortification tower mentioned above - and in other areas as well, where the placement of the stone seems to be less good. The excavations also revealed the presence of remains of houses dating back to the Almohad period, which extend into the interior of the current houses, and building materials among the ruins dating back to an earlier period of time. The dwellings of the Almohad period are arranged around a courtyard, and some rooms have been identified as chambers, kitchens, and an oven. Grain dumps were also identified, some of which were later converted into containers for household remains. The archaeological analysis also revealed remains resulting from military architectural additions that were likely made after the occupation of this fortified building by the forces of the Santiago Organization. The remaining traces of the Islamic era are not limited to the fortification only. Indeed, antiquities dating back to the same era have been discovered in the vicinity of Salir, and antiquities dating back to an earlier era, such as a funerary inscription dating back to the first century AH / seventh century AD, which was found in 1968. Less important sites have also been discovered - such as Alkariyas (which are small communal villages) in areas that do not have a clear defensive character. In some cases, it appears that these sites were inhabited before the early stages of the Islamic conquest, and spanned several centuries until the Almohad period - the period with which we are most familiar today.
Sample Text
Fernando Branco Correia “Fort of Saler” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;pt;Mon01;22;ar
