Category: Archaeology > Dolmen
District: Portalegre > Marvão > Carrajola
The Anta da Carrajola I is located in the serene village of Carrajola, within the municipality of Marvão, in the heart of the Portalegre district. It is situated in an area characterized by the natural beauty of the Alto Alentejo, where the landscape is dominated by gentle hills, extensive cork and holm oak forests (montados), and granite outcrops that punctuate the horizon. The environment surrounding the dolmen is one of profound tranquility, inviting contemplation and direct contact with the untouched nature that envelops it.
Its location offers an authentic perspective of Alentejo rural life, far from the hustle and bustle, where the silence is broken only by the sounds of nature. This idyllic and isolated setting contributes to the experience of discovering an ancestral monument, allowing visitors a complete immersion in history and the surrounding environment.
The Anta da Carrajola I represents a fascinating testament to human presence in prehistoric times in the region. This type of monument is a collective funerary structure, generally dated to the Neolithic or Chalcolithic period, between 4,000 and 2,000 BC, evidencing the beliefs and ritual practices of the communities that inhabited these lands millennia ago. It was a final resting place for their dead, but also a social and spiritual landmark in the territory.
These dolmens were not mere tombs; they were imposing constructions that demonstrated remarkable social organization and technical knowledge for the era. Their existence reveals the deep connection these peoples had to the land and their ancestors, marking the landscape with their enduring and enigmatic presence.
The Anta da Carrajola I, like other dolmens in the region, is a remarkable example of megalithic architecture. It is characterized by the use of large stone blocks, known as orthostats, arranged vertically to form a chamber. This chamber would originally have been covered by a monumental capstone (laje de cobertura), supported by the orthostats, and the entire structure would have been, in times past, enclosed by an artificial mound of earth and stones, the mamoa, which is often now disappeared or heavily eroded.
The construction of such structures required considerable community effort and a rudimentary understanding of engineering to move and position stones of such significant weight. Their formal simplicity contrasts with the grandeur of their purpose and the scale of the materials used, conveying a sense of solidity and permanence that has defied the centuries.
The Anta da Carrajola I harmoniously integrates into the Alentejo landscape, seeming to merge with the natural environment that surrounds it. Its location is not random; these monuments were often erected at strategic points, sometimes with panoramic views, or in places that would have held particular significance for ancestral communities. Contact with this monument allows visitors to feel the connection between human work and the natural environment, a relationship that has endured since its construction.
Visiting the dolmen is an opportunity to experience a place where history and nature meet, providing an experience of reflection on the passage of time and the persistence of the vestiges left by the civilizations that preceded us. It is an invitation to appreciate the austere beauty and serenity of a heritage that endures, silently, in the vastness of the Alentejo landscape.
Sources: https://files.dre.pt/2s/2011/03/054000000/1285712857.pdf
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.986299191072376,-7.4471298131574395
Coordinates DMS: 38°59'10.7"N 07°26'49.7"W
Weather Carrajola
On-duty Pharmacy Carrajola
