1. The archaeological activity developed by the Reitoria of the University
of Coimbra began in the summer of 2000 with the first excavation
of Pátio das Escolas. The results of this initiative and the
necessity to continue this work, as well as the recent intention to candidate
part of the university spaces to World Heritage, were strong
motives for the creation of a small team, which has been systematically
proceeding since then.
2. As the result of Coimbra’s human occupation for, at least, the past
two millenniums, the product of the archaeological activity developed
naturally reflects this evolution. 3. Among the several excavations already performed, this article
focus the interventions in Pátio das Escolas, Colégio da Trindade and
Laboratório Químico, all situated in the centre of the University of
Coimbra. Their preliminary results seam to attest the presence of a significant
archaeological patrimony, which we are progressively disclosing,
revealing a diachronic occupation from the Roman period (despite
certain traces of more ancient times) until our days.
