Castro de Leceia

Castro de Leceia is a fortified prehistoric settlement in the civil parish of Barcarena, municipality of Oeiras, Portugal. First reported in 1878 by Carlos Ribeiro in what is considered the first monograph on a Portuguese prehistoric settlement, the site was systematically excavated by Joao Luis Cardoso across 17 campaigns from 1983 to 2002. Three occupation phases are documented: Late Neolithic (3350-2900 cal BC), Early Chalcolithic (2900-2400 cal BC), and Full Chalcolithic. Around 2900-2800 BC, an imposing fortification of three concentric limestone walls was erected covering 11,000 square metres, reflecting growing social hierarchization. Finds include bell beaker pottery, copper axes and ingots, amphibolitic tools sourced from over 120 km away, ivory objects, and 53 ideotechnic (cult) artifacts representing the most significant such collection in Portugal.