Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Castelo Branco > Vila Velha de Ródão > Vila Velha de Ródão
The Tejo Valley Rock Art Interpretation Center (CIART) is located in Vila Velha de Ródão, a town with strong ties to the Tejo river, situated in the heart of the eponymous municipality. CIART is integrated into the town's cultural infrastructure, positioning itself as a central point for initiating the discovery of this region's vast natural and historical heritage, facilitating access for visitors to the area.
CIART is dedicated to interpreting one of Europe's most important collections of post-Paleolithic art: the Tejo Valley Rock Art Complex. This valuable collection comprises over 20,000 engravings, extending for approximately 40 kilometers along both banks of the river. Discovered in the early 1970s, many of these engravings were subjected to intensive archaeological rescue campaigns, as the construction of the Fratel dam in 1974 led to the submersion of a large part of these prehistoric artistic manifestations. However, over 1,500 latex molds were created, which are crucial for the preservation and study of this unique heritage.
CIART's permanent exhibition invites visitors to immerse themselves in the life and art of the peoples who inhabited the Tejo valley in remote times. The exhibition path provides a geological and geomorphological framework of the landscape, allowing visitors to understand the environment in which hunter-gatherers lived and the evolution of their artistic expressions from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods. Various types of engravings are presented, mostly executed by pecking, which include a variety of geometric symbols, anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, and astral figures. The center also exhibits modules dedicated to local archaeology, geological specimens such as fossils, and a three-dimensional model of the Ródão syncline, one of the region's main tectonic structures.
Since its inauguration in 2012, CIART has been fundamental in supporting the study and preservation of this vast archaeological heritage, while making it accessible to the public. Recently, the center benefited from a significant refurbishment and expansion. This renovation allowed for the modernization of the space and enriched the visitor's experience, facilitating the understanding of the extraordinary richness of this cultural legacy. CIART thus serves as a recognition of the dedication of generations of archaeologists and students who ensured the cataloging and safeguarding of a large part of this invaluable heritage.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.6585408,-7.6777611
Coordinates DMS: 39°39'30.7"N 07°40'39.9"W
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