Category: Archaeology > Dolmen
District: Coimbra > Vila Nova de Poiares > Lavegadas
The Dolmen of São Pedro Dias is situated in the parish of Lavegadas, in the municipality of Vila Nova de Poiares, at an elevated point next to a short rural road. The surroundings combine clearings of low scrub and bushes with the gentle slope of a Mediterranean terrain.
From the site, a wide view opens up over undulating valleys and hills, where patches of pine and eucalyptus forests can be seen. Despite its proximity to a dirt road, the site maintains a tranquil and discreet atmosphere.
This is a megalithic monument from the Neo-Chalcolithic period, classified as a Property of Public Interest. The first investigations were carried out by Professor João de Castro Nunes in 1959, followed by excavations during the summer of 1978.
Originally, the dolmen functioned as a burial chamber. The structure was subjected to looting that damaged part of the gallery and the tomb lid, but its ancestral funerary function remains recognizable.
In plan, the monument has an elliptical shape, measuring approximately 25 m in length by 18 m in width. Part of the tumulus that originally covered it, a mound of earth and stone that gave it the appearance of a small hill, is still preserved.
Among the most evident vestiges are some of the capstones and blocks that formed the chamber. These elements allow us to understand the construction technique of our ancestors, based on large stacked stones and pebble mounds.
The patch of low-lying vegetation surrounding the dolmen creates an interesting contrast with the exposed rocks. The bushes and the golden hues of the rounded rock formations accompany the alignment of the slabs, underscoring the rustic character of the site.
On clear days, the horizon is punctuated by distant mountain ranges, reinforcing the sense that this dolmen was part of a transitional landscape between inhabited areas and more rugged zones.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.23553349885265,-8.20717813260965
Coordinates DMS: 40°14'7.9"N 08°12'25.8"W
Weather Lavegadas
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