Barro Tholos

Category: Archaeology > Settlement

District: Lisboa > Torres Vedras > Barro

Location:

The Tholos do Barro is located in the locality of Barro, in the municipality of Torres Vedras, positioned on top of Monte da Pena. This rural setting provides a tranquil environment, ideal for those who appreciate history integrated into the natural landscape.

From the point where the monument stands, one can enjoy wide views over the surrounding agricultural fields, allowing for a serene and unobstructed perspective of the region.

A Millennia-Old Megalithic Monument

The Tholos do Barro is a remarkable funerary structure from the Chalcolithic period, dating back approximately 5000 years, revealing the presence of ancient communities in this area. This site was a collective tomb, built to house its dead, and is a significant testament to the practices and beliefs of Prehistory in Portugal.

Its importance was recognized as early as 1910 when it was classified as a National Monument, attesting to its historical and archaeological value to Portuguese heritage.

The Architecture of Antiquity

This structure is one of the most impressive examples of megalithic architecture on the Iberian Peninsula. The Tholos do Barro stands out for its circular funerary chamber, about six meters in diameter, accessed by a corridor approximately four meters long.

One of its most notable features is its corbelled vault roof, formed by stones overlapping concentrically, a construction technique advanced for its time. The entire complex was originally surrounded by a large tumulus, a mound of earth and stones, reaching about thirteen meters in diameter, adding grandeur to the structure.

The Legacy of Prehistoric Communities

Archaeological excavations carried out at this site have brought to light a collection of findings that enrich our knowledge about the people who lived here. Among the recovered remains are artifacts such as polished stone axes, bronze rings, ceramics, and limestone figurines, including idols with human representations.

These objects, along with the skeletal remains found, offer a valuable insight into the daily life, technologies, and funerary rituals of the communities that inhabited the Torres Vedras region millennia ago, using the Tholos do Barro as a place of memory and burial.

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