This was the fifth excavation that took place on the side and it helped to shed new light on the monument which covers a whopping 600 square meters. The campaign was made in partnership with the Innsbruck Institute and it relied on help from volunteers from both the University of the Algarve as well as the Algarve Archaeologists Association.

According to a press release, the artifacts found have confirmed the timeline previously established in regards to the site. The castle was occupied for four generations for a period of about 100 years, and parts of the outer walls were destroyed when the region’s municipal road was built.

This fifth excavation surfaced more object than the previous ones, one particular find which deserves special mention is the top half of a Punic amphora made in the Cadiz region of Spain, which was later reused in the castle. Further tests will be conducted to see what its function was.

The Punics were a group of western Semitic-speaking people who are thought to have descended from Phoenician settlers and North African Berbers.

The data that was retrieved as a result of the excavation will be thoroughly analyzed in the months to come and it is expected to offer archaeologists a deeper understanding of this important and ancient monument. The overarching aim of the research is to make it possible to publicly present the Roman building, which dates back to the first or second century BC.

The municipal authority also hope that this research will help put the Castelinho dos Mouros on the region’s cultural map so as to attract more visitors.

Those who want to get  there can easily reach the place with Algarve car hire services.

Paderne features a 12^th century castle, and is one of the castles depicted on the national flag of the country. The castle isn’t exactly in the village, but it’s just a little way out of the village and is easily accessible by car. The castle is usually lit up at night and can be seen from the A22 motorway.

Taking a rental car on the road toward the castle will have you find a natural spring set in a square, a rather odd discovery but nonetheless interesting, and one cannot wonder how come Paderne is overlooked by tourists. The thing is that the spring is still sued today by people in the surrounding areas coming here to collect drinking water and there’s also a public laundry here with about 18 stone thoughts, scrubbing boards and tiled floors in a wooden enclosure. The river then continues on toward a park area.

Water is a great theme in the region, with locals from Paderne and nearby Alfontes battling each other every July in a competition of mini water sports, all of which ends with a massive barbecue and beer.

The village also features a still-intact Roman bridge, which was restored back in the 1860s and today it’s classified as an ancient monument.

There’s a church that sits at the village centre in a rather small square and it’s well worth the visit because it dates back to the 15^th century. The carvings on the inside stem from the 17^th-18^th century and are part of the priceless heritage of the church.

The village is composed of a number of narrow back streets, many of which are up a hill and some are one-way or no entry actually. The place has a solid selection of cafes, bars and restaurants that will satisfy many food craving.