Dolmen of Masmorra

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Faro > Tavira > Cachopo > Montinho do Cravo

Location

The Anta da Masmorra is nestled in the tranquil landscape of Cachopo, a locality in the municipality of Tavira, in the heart of the mountainous Algarve. More precisely, this monument stands on a small elevation, at an altitude of about 360 meters, in the area known as Montinho do Cravo. Its elevated position offers a visual command over the vast and undulating Algarve hills, giving it a unique setting and a sense of serene isolation.

A Profound History

This remarkable monument is a chamber dolmen, a type of megalithic construction dating back to the periods of the Late Neolithic or the Chalcolithic. It represents a silent testament to the communities that inhabited the region thousands of years ago, revealing their funerary practices and their ability to work with large stone blocks to create lasting structures. Although no objects were found inside it during archaeological studies carried out in the 1970s, its presence continues to be a tangible link to a remote past and the culture of our ancestors.

Ancestral Architecture

The Anta da Masmorra is characterized by its circular chamber, which extends for approximately 3.2 meters in diameter. Originally, this chamber was defined by nine large orthostats, the vertical stones that supported the roof. Today, three of these orthostats remain visible, resisting time and the elements. Associated with the chamber, there is also a corridor that would have led to the central space, completing the structure of this prehistoric collective tomb. The size of the stones and the precision of their arrangement are a remarkable feat for the time, demonstrating advanced knowledge of engineering and social organization.

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