Myth, science and community

Abstract

Every night a saint flees the Parish church of Cereixa, a small hamlet in Atlantic Europe. It rushes back to its home, upon the hillfort of San Lourenzo, an Iron-Age fortified settlement. Despite having been Christianized in the Middle Ages, the hillfort is still home to mythical dwellers – the mouros (moors). In 2016 the villagers of Cereixa decided to restore and research this archaeological site. This article reviews the crucial role played by community archaeology throughout this particular process of heritage empowerment. Our work-team’s strategy draws on popular religion, folklore, and traditions to test the powers of science, and to provide a tourist resource that can foster local development while consolidating identity references. This paper includes some reflections on the methods of community management as part of an alternative and counter-hegemonic model.