Pias Dolmen

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Beja > Serpa > Serpa > Salvador e Santa Maria

Location:

The Anta das Pias is located in the municipality of Serpa, in the heart of Alentejo, integrated into the Union of Parishes of Salvador and Santa Maria. Situated in an area that combines the tranquility of the rural environment with proximity to the urban center, its presence invites discovery. The monument rests in an area that allows for quiet observation, far from the hustle and bustle, offering direct contact with the history of the Alentejo landscape.

A Testament to Prehistory

The Anta das Pias is a megalithic monument, an ancient construction dating back to a distant period of human history. These dolmens were, in essence, collective burial chambers, built with enormous blocks of stone. Their typical structure includes vertical stones, called orthostats, which supported one or more capstones, thus forming a space where our ancestors performed their funerary rituals. The Anta das Pias represents an important remnant of these Neolithic practices in the Serpa region, marking the presence of communities that lived here thousands of years ago.

Early Engineering

Observing the Anta das Pias is also contemplating a remarkable feat of engineering and social organization from time immemorial. The construction of a monument of this dimension, with stones of considerable weight, required in-depth knowledge of the terrain, the necessary forces, and exemplary community coordination. Its construction reveals the ability of prehistoric peoples to shape the landscape and create durable structures that have withstood time and reach us as silent testimonies of their beliefs and their capacity for collective work. It is an open window for understanding humanity's first great architectural works in Portuguese territory.

Silent Presence in the Landscape

The Anta das Pias stands out in the landscape not only for its size but also for its symbolic charge. It is a point of quietude and reflection, where the passage of time becomes palpable. Its serene presence invites a pause, allowing one to imagine the lives of the communities that once inhabited these lands. The monument integrates into the natural beauty of Alentejo, with its characteristic light and the vastness of the fields, creating an environment conducive to the contemplation of history and nature intertwined in this place.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt