Milrei and Padrão Menhir Ensemble

Category: Archaeology > Menhir

District: Faro > Vila do Bispo > Hortas do Tabual

Milrei Menhir Complex

Located in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, in the Algarve.

- Composed of six menhirs carved from local limestone.

- Heights vary from 0.70 m to 2 m.

- Sub-cylindrical, conical, or oval shapes, with some decorated with cup marks or undulating cord patterns.

Condition of the Menhirs

All are fallen, some are fragmented.

Archaeological Importance and Rock Art

- Indications of a sedentary agricultural lifestyle with the discovery of Neolithic pottery pieces, hammerstones, and hand-grinders.

- Nearby, there are Neolithic rock art sites with cup marks and small pits on decorative slabs.

- Integrated into the Barlavento megalithic complex, along with other megalithic monuments.

Estimated Age

- Likely erected between 5500 and 2000 BC, during the Neolithic or Chalcolithic periods.

Discovery and Research

- Identified by archaeologists in 1979, with additional research conducted later.

Classification and Preservation

- The process of classification as a monument of public interest began in 1983, with the intention of completing the classification in 2010.

Tourism Potential

- Planning for the creation of a thematic tourist route on megalithism in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, including the Milrei menhirs.

Description of the Padrão Menhir Complex

- Located in Raposeira, municipality of Vila do Bispo, Algarve.

- Composed of fifteen menhirs dispersed throughout the region.

- Menhirs with varied shapes and heights, carved from white limestone.

Historical Significance and Archaeological Interest

- Estimated age of about 5,000 years, testimonies to the prehistory of the region.

- An important symbol of the Neo-Chalcolithic period.

- Traces of an ancient Neolithic settlement and tombs from the Late Roman and Medieval periods near the menhirs.

Tourist Route and Prehistoric Monuments

- The region of the Padrão menhirs is an unmissable stop for tourists interested in the history and archaeology of the Algarve.

- The Milrei menhirs and the Aspradantes menhir are other nearby prehistoric monuments that are also worth visiting.

Classification Process and Symbolic Importance

- The classification process for the Milrei and Padrão menhirs is not yet complete, but the intention to preserve them is recognized by the cultural authorities.

- The Padrão Menhir is considered the most important megalithic monument in the municipality of Vila do Bispo and a symbol of prehistory in the region. Its preservation highlights the historical and cultural importance of the site.

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

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menires_de_Milrei

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