Definition: Misericordia is a proto-historic vitrified hillfort located near the city of Serpa in southern Portugal. The site was occupied during the Late Bronze Age (12th-8th century BC) and then again in the Iron Age (5th to 2nd century BC), with a period of abandonment between the two.
Vitrified elements of the site include the south rampart, which was made up of schist and metagraywacke blocks. One well-preserved wall measures 5.5 meters long and 2 meters high, is located at the western edge of the settlement.
The site is important for the innovative use of archaeomagnetic dating of the vitrified elements. Vitrified forts are notoriously difficult to date, but researchers were able to established that the wall was burned between 842-652 BC, corresponding with the Late Bronze occupation.
Vitrified elements of the site include the south rampart, which was made up of schist and metagraywacke blocks. One well-preserved wall measures 5.5 meters long and 2 meters high, is located at the western edge of the settlement.
The site is important for the innovative use of archaeomagnetic dating of the vitrified elements. Vitrified forts are notoriously difficult to date, but researchers were able to established that the wall was burned between 842-652 BC, corresponding with the Late Bronze occupation.
Sources
More on vitrification of hillforts can be discovered at the Gazetteer and Research Guide to the Vitrification of HillfortsCatanzariti, Gianluca, et al. in press Archaeomagnetic dating of a vitrified wall at the Late Bronze Age settlement of Misericordia (Serpa, Portugal). Journal of Archaeological Science in press
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
