Carapito I Dolmen or House of the Moorish Woman

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Guarda > Fornos de Algodres > Casal do Monte > Dólmen de Carapito

Location

, Located in Entreáguas, about 1.5 km south of the village of Carapito, in the parish of Carapito, municipality of Aguiar da Beira, Guarda District.

, Close to the Carapito River.

Importance and Size

, The second largest dolmen in Portugal, surpassed in height only by the Anta Grande do Zambujeiro.

Local Name

, Locally known as "Casa da Moira," associated with various legends. The most popular tells of a moira who carried the stones on her head while spinning.

Classification

, Classified as a National Monument in 1974.

Structure

, Consists of a polygonal chamber of nine carved pillars, arranged in a circle, more than five meters high.

, Two of the pillars have decorations of solar and serpentine shapes.

Artifacts and Exhibition

, The artifacts found are kept in the National Museum of Archaeology.

History of Archaeological Investigations

, First mentioned in 1883 by the Lisbon Geographical Society.

, Drawing of the plant and tracing of the engravings by Georg Leisner in 1933.

, Significant excavations carried out in 1966, revealing several Neolithic artifacts.

, Continuous studies and restorations until 1988.

Astronomical Orientation

, Studies indicate a possible alignment with the sunrise and the star Aldebaran, used as a calendar by Neolithic communities.

Curiosities

, Local legends enrich the visit, providing a touch of mysticism to the monument.

, The most decorated pillar was temporarily in the parish hall and was returned to its original location for restoration.

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

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