Anta 2 of the Little Defenses

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Portalegre > Elvas > Elvas > Defesinhas

Location

Anta 2 das Defesinhas is located in a rural area of the municipality of Elvas, Portugal, within the Defesinhas area. This site, situated at an altitude of approximately 185 meters, offers a landscape characteristic of the Alentejo, dominated by holm oak groves that create a tranquil and natural environment. Its position allows for the observation of the serenity of the surrounding landscape, a setting that has accompanied this ancient monument throughout the centuries.

A Portal to Prehistory

This dolmen, classified as a passage dolmen, is a fascinating remnant of the megalithic culture that flourished in the Iberian Peninsula. Erected between the 5th and 3rd millennium BC, during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, Anta 2 das Defesinhas originally served as a collective burial site. These funerary constructions were significant monuments for the communities of the time, representing an important point of reference in the territory and in ritual life.

Megalithic Structure

Anta 2 das Defesinhas is composed of a regular polygonal chamber, designed to house mortal remains and offerings, and a corridor that provided access to this chamber. Currently, it is possible to observe six of the orthostats (the large schist blocks that form the walls of the dolmen) and two other elements that belonged to the corridor, oriented towards the east. Despite its more modest dimensions, its solidity and the way it was built reveal the knowledge and technical capability of prehistoric peoples.

Witness to Ancient Civilizations

Visiting Anta 2 das Defesinhas is an opportunity to reflect on the lives of our ancestors and their relationship with death and the sacred. This monument, which has been preserved and studied over the years, invites a pause to appreciate the deep history of the region. It is a point of interest that offers a perspective on the cultural and social practices of one of the first human civilizations that inhabited these Alentejo lands, remaining as a tangible link to a remote past.

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