Skulls and Skeletons from Documented, Overseas and Archaeological Excavations: Portuguese Trajectories

Abstract

This paper traces the course of Anthropology in Portugal from the first scientific studies, and the creation of the university teaching, in the nineteenth century to its current state. In the period of its foundation, the discipline had a nation-building agenda and was practised by a group of persons with political and social influence who intended to promote the modernization of the country. To achieve that goal osteological collections of identified (ie known biography) and unidentified remains were amassed in Portugal with many of these derived from the former colonies and others donated by foreign countries. This was followed by decades of metrical analysis done with the aim of comparing racial types. These studies were considered particularly important to the colonial enterprise. After the revolution of 1974, the universities were restructured and the teaching of anthropology had a rebirth. The 1990s can be considered a new starting point, with researchers with higher education, developing their research according to international standards.