A team of archaeologists unearthed approximately one hundred thousand fragments and objects in Nova Iguaçu, in Baixada Fluminense, revealing the remains of a village that was essential for the transport of coffee in the 19th century. The work, which began three years ago, exposes the historical importance of Vila and Iguassú, a place that even received visits from the emperor and functioned as the main transition port between the road and the river. Cada found piece narrates a distinct episode of Brazilian daily life at that time, from fragments of crockery to jewelry that belonged to the imperial nobility.
The region served as a strategic axis of the colonial economy. Diferente of land routes that took between 60 and 90 days to transport goods, the route via Iguassú allowed this period to be reduced to just 15 days, making the village a crucial point for the trade that fed the former capital of Brasil.
Restauração and rediscovery beneath the earth
The land where the excavations take place belongs to the Lucena family, which has always preserved finds found by chance during agricultural work. Lucena owner Allan Ferreira authorized systematic archaeological research after decades of finding isolated fragments in his backyard.
Desde the beginning of the project:
- Cem thousand objects or fragments were cataloged
- Fragmentos of crockery of European origin, including direct pieces from Paris
- Botões imperial symbols with monarchy symbols
- Estruturas of bricks that still survive intact underground
- Utensílios ceramics that reveal urban consumption patterns
- Peças partially assembled, with some pieces still missing
Historians and archaeologists note that Vila and Iguassú’s society maintained consumption patterns similar to those in large European centers at the time. The presence of Parisian crockery, glass and luxury artifacts indicates that the village was not a simple transit point, but a settlement with the characteristics of a structured municipality.
Abandono fast after change in economy
The wealth that built Vila from Iguassú disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Quando coffee production migrated to rail transport, the village lost its reason for economic existence. The entire city moved about 15 kilometers towards the train station, leaving behind only ruins and buried fragments.
What was one of the busiest routes on the Brasil gradually turned into a forgotten corner of a municipality that today is home to almost 800,000 inhabitants. Bricks and ceramics, however, have preserved the memory of past prosperity and are now gaining relevance through continuous research.
Museu opens in April with Império relics
In April, Nova Iguaçu city hall opened a museum space dedicated to the archaeological collection. The entire pieces, assembled shard by shard, share the exhibition with fragments that illustrate domestic and commercial life in the 19th century. The highlight remains a button that bears the symbol of the Brazilian emperor.
The toothpaste, preserved in its original crockery pot, arrives at Paris and returns to Brasil to tell stories of hygiene and habits from the imperial era. Cada exhibition constitutes a small portrait of everyday life that archaeologists patiently reconstruct, daily.
Researchers continue to explore the terrain. Embora many shards have been catalogued, the search persists because additional shards remain buried. Debaixo From the pastures of Nova Iguaçu, a hidden city awaits full discovery, and excavation continues until the archaeological record reaches its natural limit.