History
A small number of Hypogea (earthen structures carved into rocks, that were used for burials) were discovered on the island of Corvo, indicating a history of settlement that may date back 2000 years, and alluding to a presence on the island before the Portuguese.
The history of the Azores is linked to non-official exploration during the period of the late 13th century, resulting in maps, such as the Genoves Atlas Medici from 1351, mentioning obscure islands in an undefined Atlantic archipelago. The Medici Atlas refers to an Insula Corvi Marini (English: Island of the Marine Crow - Marine Crow is the literal translation of "Corvo Marinho", which is the Portuguese name for Cormorant), in a seven island archipelago, but it is improbable that it refers specifically to Corvo, although the island's name could have originated from this atlas. It is likely that the name referred to the two islands of Corvo and Flores, which also appeared on the later Spanish Mapa Catalão of 1375.
It was during Portuguese "official history" that the navigator Diogo de Teive discovered both islands of the Western Group on his 1452 regress from the Banks of Newfoundland following his second voyage of exploration. Subsequently, the Portuguese Court when referring to the new Ilhas das Flores(English: Islands of Flowers) began to identify Corvo as Ilha de Santa Iria (English: Island of Saint Irene), but other nautical charts continued to refer to this island as Ilhéu das Flores (English: Islet of Island of Flowers), Ilha da Estátua (English: Island of the Statute), Ilha do Farol (English: Island of the Lighthouse) or Ilha de São Tomás (English: Island of Saint Thomas).
Settlement of the island occurred unsuccessfully in the intervening years: it was not until 1580 when a permanent settlement became viable.
A religious parish of Corvo was finally constituted in 1674, and then on 20 June 1832, integrated into a functioning civilian administration.
Read more about this topic: Corvo Island
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