Archaeological Works in Macao

In July 1972, Leal Senado, the city council of Macao at the time, invited the Hong Kong Archaeological Society to conduct a field survey on Coloane Island. This marked the first archaeological investigation conducted in Macao. Since then, the Hac Sa site in Coloane has undergone a series of investigation and excavation projects (in the years of 1973, 1977, 1985, 1994 to 1995 and 2006) that uncovered numerous remnants, which demonstrated the existence of human activities in Coloane as early as 6,000 years ago. Subsequently, before and throughout the 1990s, the Cultural Institute of Macao carried out an extensive archaeological project at the site of the former St. Paul’s College and Mount Fortress, which was an important work accomplished prior to Macao’s handover.

Since Macao’s handover (1999), archaeological research has continued to intensify, with the Government's support, leading to the discovery of new archaeological sites and the implementation of a number of archaeological excavations in Macao Peninsula, Taipa and Coloane. The major projects undertaken after 1999 include the “Site of the Stone Structure in the Underground Chamber of the former Municipal Council Building of the Islands” (2004-2005) located in the Museum of Taipa and Coloane History; the “Archaeological Survey in Coloane” (2006-2007); the “Archaeological Investigation and Excavation Project of the Ruins of St. Paul’s College”, for which experts were invited from the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (2010-2012); the “Excavation Project in No. 80, Rua das Estalagens” (2012-2015); and the “Archaeological Project in Rua do Estaleiro in Coloane” (2014-2016), among others.

In 2014, the Cultural Heritage Protection Law of Macao came into effect, in which "archaeological heritage" was also officially included as a target of legal protection, including regulations and orientations related to archaeological works on archaeological heritage, as well as the protection of archaeological objects and relics. In accordance with the mandate and responsibilities conferred by the Cultural Heritage Protection Law, the Cultural Affairs Bureau will continue to promote the development of archaeological work in Macao, with duties to investigate and discover, preserve and promote Macao's archaeological heritage, and to enhance public awareness regarding the cultural values and research of the local archaeological heritage.

Overview of Archaeological Work in Macao