Non-Invasive Prospection Methods in the Roman City of Balsa (Luz de Tavira-Portugal): Revealing the Real Townscape

Abstract

Ever since Estácio da Veiga, at the end of the 19th century, identified the ruins of the Roman city of Balsa under Torre d’Aires estate (Luz de Tavira-Portugal) and its surroundings, the scientific questions about this Roman city have been constantly increasing. Despite the historical importance of this city, referenced in classical literature, the archaeological knowledge about it remains very scarce due to the difficulties around implementing any durable scientific research projects. Therefore, much of that written about the topographical features and configuration of the city has no unequivocal scientific support. Finally, 2019 saw the launch of this ongoing project “Balsa, searching for the origins of the Algarve”, which aims to ascertain the main features concerning the city’s extent and configuration, mainly through non-invasive methods. Since 2017, geomagnetic and geo-radar surveys have spanned several hectares and successfully identified many traces of the Roman city while discarding the existence of others in certain locations. In the last two years, the geo-radar surveys have intensified and established the boundaries to the Roman city as well as parts of its layout, remnants of buildings, and even fossilised agricultural crops in addition to other geophysical anomalies, whether or not they are subsequently confirmed by diagnostic pits.