Valeira Dolmen 1

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Évora > Évora > Nossa Senhora da Graça do Divor > Herdade da Abaneja

Location

Anta da Valeira 1 is located on Herdade da Abaneja, a predominantly rural environment, within the parish of Nossa Senhora da Graça do Divor, in the municipality of Évora. It is situated in a typical Alentejo landscape, characterized by its vastness and tranquility. The monument is notably framed by two olive trees, lending it an interesting and picturesque perspective within the surrounding agricultural landscape.

A Megalithic Testimony

This structure is a dolmen, or anta, a type of ancient burial chamber, dating from the Chalcolithic period. It represents one of the many vestiges of human presence and their ritual practices in the Alentejo region thousands of years ago. These prehistoric constructions served as collective burial sites, marking the landscape with the grandeur of the engineering of the time and the deep connection of the peoples to the territory.

Traces of Ancestral Architecture

Anta da Valeira 1, although significantly degraded by the passage of time, still reveals its original polygonal chamber shape. It is possible to observe six large monoliths that, in times past, would have formed the pillars of the dolmen, but which today lie fallen and scattered. There are also indications of an ancient entrance corridor and a tumulus, the mound of earth that would have covered the structure, although there is no record of the original capstone. These elements allow the observer to imagine the imposing presence the dolmen would have had in its complete form.

A Window to the Distant Past

Visiting Anta da Valeira 1 is an invitation to reflect on the profound history of the Alentejo. Despite its current state of preservation, the site offers a unique opportunity for contact with the region's megalithic heritage. It is a point of interest that transports us directly to a distant past, allowing us to understand a little more about the customs and life of the communities that inhabited these lands in remote times.

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