Tholos of Alcalar 9

Category: Archaeology > Necropolis

District: Faro > Portimão > Alcalar > Cabeço Esteves

Location

Tholos de Alcalar 9 is located in the Cabeço Esteves urbanization, in the locality of Alcalar, in the municipality of Portimão. This monument is situated in a rural landscape of the Algarve barrocal, integrated into a vast megalithic archaeological complex. Its position on a natural elevation offers a setting that reflects the strategic choice of ancient peoples for their burial sites, which sought to be visible from a distance in the surrounding landscape.

Memories of a Distant Past

This ancient tomb, known as a tholos, is one of the most significant vestiges of the community that inhabited the Alcalar region during the Chalcolithic period, some four to five thousand years ago. It was built a little later than other older structures of the same complex, situating its construction at the end of the third millennium or the beginning of the second millennium BC. Tholos de Alcalar 9 served as a burial place for the most influential individuals of the settlement, revealing the social complexity and funerary beliefs of that prehistoric civilization.

Architecture and Symbolism

The structure of Tholos de Alcalar 9 is composed of an access corridor and an inner funerary chamber, both built with large slabs of limestone or sandstone. The construction technique utilized compacted stone and clay, giving it remarkable exterior robustness. This monument was covered by a mound of stones, or mamoa, circular in shape, topped with slabs and small white limestone pebbles, intended to make it more visible from afar, possibly symbolizing the status of the community that erected it. Not possessing a vault, the inner chamber was sealed by a large slab at the top. Next to the tomb, there was an outdoor space, almost as vast as the structure itself, believed to have been the scene of rituals and community gatherings, underscoring the social importance of death for these peoples.

Archaeological Finds and Heritage

Excavations carried out at Tholos de Alcalar 9 revealed the presence of multiple burials, including the remains of a robust, middle-aged man who survived a cranial trauma, and four other individuals, among adults and children. These burials were accompanied by valuable objects that expressed the power and wealth of the deceased, such as adornments made of ivory, amber, copper, gold, and green stones, some of which were materials imported from distant regions. Among the most notable finds is an oculated idol, a small stone cylinder with eye figures, which, after restoration, is now on display at the Portimão Museum, allowing a direct connection with the daily life and beliefs of the inhabitants of Alcalar.

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