Rodrigo Valley 1

Category: Nature > Reserva natural

District: Évora > Évora > Évora > Nossa Senhora da Tourega e Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe

Location

The monument of Vale de Rodrigo 1 is located in the heart of the municipality of Évora, integrated into the union of parishes of Nossa Senhora da Tourega and Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe. It is situated in a wide rural valley, shaped by a stream adjacent to the Ribeira de Valverde. The environment offers countryside tranquility, where the monument's presence harmonizes with the natural Alentejo landscape. Its imposing mamoa is a visible element from a distance, standing out on the plain.

A Portal to Prehistory

Vale de Rodrigo 1 transports visitors to the dawn of civilization. This dolmen, dating back to the megalithic era, was erected between 4000 and 3000 BC, serving as a collective tomb. Its existence offers a glimpse into the complex funerary practices and beliefs of the communities that inhabited this region thousands of years ago. Today, its value is recognized as a historical-cultural landmark, a testament to human presence and their ability to monumentalize the landscape in a very distant past.

The Uniqueness of the Construction

The architecture of Vale de Rodrigo 1 stands out for its false dome typology, considered a rare and characteristic prototype of Évora's megalithism. The structure consists of a polygonal chamber, defined by seven large vertical stones, known as orthostats, upon which rests a roof constructed of dry stone masonry that simulates a dome. A narrow corridor, approximately one meter wide and one and a half meters high, grants access to the chamber. Surrounding this structure, a monumental mamoa is observed, an earthen mound approximately six meters high and thirty meters in diameter at its base. At the foot of this mamoa, a small recumbent menhir is found, its surface displaying ancient decorations such as cup marks, serpentine ornaments, and a figure resembling a horseshoe. The construction primarily used coarse-grained granite, complemented by some marble and quartzite elements in the mamoa.

Legacy and Archaeological Study

Vale de Rodrigo 1 is recognized as a Property of Public Interest, a classification that attests to its undeniable importance for Portuguese heritage. This monument has been the subject of archaeological attention since the mid-20th century, with excavations that have revealed a wealth of materials, including pottery, flint artifacts, and engraved slate plaques. Many of these finds have contributed significantly to the knowledge of Alentejo's megalithic cultures. Study and conservation efforts at this site are continuous, allowing for an increasingly deeper understanding of this remarkable work of prehistoric engineering.

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