Dolmen of Carniçosas

Category: Archaeology > Settlement Core

District: Coimbra > Figueira da Foz > Alhadas

Location

The Dólmen das Carniçosas stands in the parish of Alhadas, municipality of Figueira da Foz, within the district of Coimbra. It is located in an area that invites reflection on the antiquity of human presence in these lands, offering a serene setting and contact with the surrounding nature, typical of the region's rural landscapes. Its location allows visitors to immerse themselves in an environment that, although close to population centers, maintains a certain seclusion, conducive to contemplating its historical importance.

Ancient Megalithic Testimony

This remarkable megalithic monument constitutes one of the most significant vestiges of prehistory in the region, dating back to an early period of the Neolithic. The Dólmen das Carniçosas served, primarily, as a collective tomb, a sacred place where ancestral communities laid their dead to rest. Its existence attests to the social complexity and spiritual beliefs of the peoples who inhabited this area millennia ago, marking the landscape with the impressiveness of its stones and the memory of millenary rituals.

Primitive Architecture and Symbolism

The Dólmen das Carniçosas is a clear example of megalithic architecture, characterized by the use of large stone blocks, or orthostats, which form a funerary chamber, originally covered by a mound, an artificial heap of earth and stones. Although time and human action may have altered its original form, the basic structure of the chamber remains visible, inviting one to imagine the grandeur of its construction. This type of monument was not merely a tomb, but also a place of worship and a territorial marker, laden with deep symbolism linked to life, death, and the connection with ancestors.

The Environment and Historical Immersion

A visit to the Dólmen das Carniçosas provides an experience of connection with a distant past. The rural environment surrounding it, with its characteristic flora and fauna, helps to contextualize the monument in its original setting. It is a space where one can feel the quietness and the reverberation of immemorial times, allowing visitors a unique perspective on how primitive civilizations related to their territory and to the cycle of life.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dólmen_das_Carniçosas

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