Imperial Artifacts Discovered in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL—According to a report in The Rio Times, more than 30,000 artifacts, including items such as plates, cutlery, clothing, and uniforms bearing the imperial insignia, were recovered during work to renovate the Zoological Garden of Rio de Janeiro, which is located in Quinta da Boa Vista. The public park is also home to the Portuguese imperial family’s nineteenth-century palace, which was repurposed as the National Museum of Brazil in 1892, which suffered a devastating fire in September of 2018. Archaeologist Filipe André Coelho said the artifacts may have belonged to employees of the imperial family, or may have been given by the imperial family to the military personnel, village officials, and free and enslaved workers who are thought to have lived in the neighborhood at the time. “It worked as sort of a good neighbor policy,” Coelho suggested. To read about Brazil's fascinating "monkey puzzle" trees, go to "Ancient Foresters."