[Resumo proveniente da fonte]

Mértola’s Archaeological Site began its work in the Alcáçova of the Castle of Mértola. Since 1978 we uncovered a dense necropolis from the Late Middle Ages /Early Modern Period, an intricate Islamic neighbourhood and an impressive paleo-christian religious complex that integrates a crypto-porticus, a 6th century baptistery and an interesting collection of mosaics with a strong Byzantine influence, which have been largely studied and divulged. After the Christian conquest, in 1238, this entire area, formerly occupied by the Islamic neighbourhood, was converted by the victors into a graveyard, from which already more than 700 graves were exhumed. In this communication, we present the many ornaments found in this Medieval / Modern necropolis, excavated during more than 35 years of research. The exhumed ornaments are mainly metallic objects related to the clothing and adornment of the body. Through these years it has been of great interest to study and identify these objects. Nevertheless we find ourselves in a time in which it becomes of fundamental importance to systematise and to divulge these spoils. The study of the graves and human remains allows for the characterisation of ancient societies, particularly of their way of life, religious beliefs, funerary rituals, and in some cases of the activities to which the populations dedicated themselves. This is a work in progress, since the excavations in this site are still underway and each year new subjects are exhumed, allowing further study and also the analysis of older data. This article complements the communication entitled “The Alcáçova of the Castle of Mértola – a Medieval and Modern necropolis”. Keywords: Mértola, graves, funerary rituals.