Fence Dolmen

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Évora > Estremoz > Glória > Casas

Location

The Anta da Cerca is immersed in the rural landscape surrounding Glória, a locality within the municipality of Estremoz, in the heart of the Évora district. Specifically, this ancient monument is situated in the area known as Casas.

The geographical setting is typical of Alentejo, characterized by vast horizons, gentle fields dotted with ancient olive trees and scattered cork oaks, composing a scene of serene beauty and tranquility, the ideal backdrop for a structure of such remote antiquity.

The Megalithic Structure

The Anta da Cerca is a remarkable example of megalithic architecture erected by the peoples who inhabited this region millennia ago. This type of monument is typically composed of several large vertical stones, known as orthostats, arranged to create a chamber. Originally, these structures would have been covered by one or more capstones, forming a funerary or ritualistic space.

The impressiveness of these stones and their careful arrangement attest to the ingenuity and collective effort of the prehistoric communities that erected them during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, demonstrating a deep understanding of stone and its manipulation for monumental purposes.

Ancient Testimony

This ancient monument primarily served as a collective burial place for the first communities that inhabited this region. Beyond its practical function, a monument of this nature held profound symbolic and ritualistic significance, being a focal point for community identity.

The Anta da Cerca represents a place where the living could honor their ancestors and connect with the spiritual realm. Its existence offers a unique window into the funerary practices, social structures, and worldview of these prehistoric populations, who left these enduring marks of their presence on the landscape.

Dialogue with the Landscape

The Anta da Cerca is not merely an isolated construction, but an integral and timeless part of the Alentejo landscape. Its secular presence invites contemplation and reflection on the passage of time, on the civilizations that have succeeded each other, and on the persistence of memory.

Surrounded by the quietude of the fields, with the sunlight falling upon its millennia-old stones, the site evokes a sense of mystery and a deep connection with the land. It is a point where past and present meet, offering a singular perspective on the long and rich human history in this region of Portugal.

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