Prehistoric Portugal

The prehistory and early history of Portugal is similar to the early Middle Ages, the history of other regions of the Iberian Peninsula.

Paleolithic

The presence of representatives of the genus Homo is in Portugal since Homo erectus in weak tracks. Excavations in Ribeira da Atalaia at the headwaters of the Tagus researchers found traces of everyday objects, which is estimated with radiographic methods to 300,000. The findings of Ribeira da Atalaia indicate a Homo heidelbergensis. Controversial is the allocation of 25,000 years old " child of Lagar Velho ", which both anatomical features of modern humans (Homo sapiens ) and Neanderthal were attributed. As modern humans were already immigrated into the area, the last Neanderthals lived here. From the Neanderthals, there are also traces of a place to camp at Vilas Ruivas. At the Tagus also able to demonstrate a 24,000 years old fireplace. One of the oldest cultural evidence for the colonization of Portugal by modern humans are the petroglyphs of Foz Côa (about 18,000 BC) dar.

Mesolithic

Middens, international Køkkenmøddinger (Portuguese Concheiros; . Engl shell middens ) called, testify to the presence of modern humans. From the late Mesolithic are known from the estuaries of the rivers Tagus and Sado a series of accumulated shells. The diet of coastal populations based primarily on marine resources.

Neolithic

The first Neolithic settlements lie on the limestone plateau of Estremadura. From the Gruta da Calderão ( cave ) at Tomar come burials of the Early Neolithic. The ceramics belongs to the late cardial and dated 5300-5100 BC The animal bones found also point to sheep and goats, so animal husbandry with products imported from the Levant species. The following epi- cardial (from 5000 BC ), the landlocked country is populated. Many researchers assume that the first Neolithic settlement was of the lake and areas were visited that were not densely populated. In the Alentejo, the oldest megalithic structures are of Mesolithic find spots nearby. A superposition of two standing stones through a passage grave is cited as evidence that the menhirs are dated to an early phase of the Neolithic.

Bronze age

The copper metallurgy is the sustainable precursor to the Iberian Bronze Age. With the Bell Beaker people the Early Bronze Age, about which little is known began. The grave of Quinta da Água Branca and the hoard of Alcácer are exceptions. Places and settlements which connect with the late Bronze Age, but are still unexplored, are the Castelo Velho in Freixo de Numão, Columbreira, Vila Nova de São Perdro and Zambujal. The mean, especially in the north will become clear phase is also called " Atlantic Bronze Age " and shows clear connections to the rest of Western Europe. In the South Mediterranean and oriental influence can be felt, to be connected with Tartessos. In mittelportugisischen Baiões is the contact zone of the two currents.

From 2000 BC culture and art flourish of the Iberians, an enigmatic people, from the 6th to the 1st century BC, the Iberian peninsula between Andalusia and the Languedoc populated and cultural and economic relations with other civilizations of the Mediterranean - the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Greeks - used. For the younger Bronze Age grave fields, such as the honeycomb of Atalaia formative where menhirs here called " pedras empinadas ", and horizontally laid panels are common. In the south sculptured stelae are used as ceiling panels of stone boxes.

Iron Age

The culture of the Iberians, which falls in the Late Iron Age, had highly developed city-states. The Phoenicians (1000 BC) founded in Portugal colonies. Around the year 600 BC there was an invasion of the Celts, which came in a variety of interactions with the Iberians ( Celtiberian ). The origins of the Lusitanen that are mentioned in ancient sources in addition to the Celts as the second nation and should be eponymous in Latin for the country are not clear. However, it is believed that it was a strain which might originally had its home in the Swiss Alps, and perhaps in the wake of the Celtic immigration also immigrated from there with the other tribes on the Iberian Peninsula.