The mausoleum of São Frutuoso de Montélios (Braga, Portugal) is one of the most paradigmatic sites for the study of Portuguese architecture from Late Antiquity and the High Middle Ages. The monument is an unavoidable presence in art history studies, which focus on the oldest references to Christianity in the region, and has been the centre of intense debate throughout the 20th century. On one side were the defenders of the building’s Visigothic origins and on the other the researchers who argued for the relevance of Mozarabic stylistic influences. As part of the project for the Conservation, Enhancement and Promotion of the Convent of S. Francisco de Real, led by the Archaeology Unit of the University of Minho, it was possible to carry out a detailed analysis of the building and an analysis of some mortars using Stimulated Optical Luminescence (SOL).

This research, funded by Lab2PT, took place at the University Institute of Geology at the University of A Coruña, and provided new and interesting contributions to understanding the monument, namely confirming the chronology of its foundation, which is crucial to clarifying and validating the historical knowledge we have of the building. Samples taken from the building’s foundation confirm its Visigothic origins. These results were presented today at the TechnoHeritage 2024 congress in Santiago de Compostela.

 

Lab2PT main author: Francisco Andrade
Other Lab2PT authors: Manuela Martins and Rebeca Blanco-Rotea
Author from other research center: Jorge Sanjurjo-Sánchez (University Institute of Geology, University of A Coruña)

 

 

Congress website: HERE