Doe of the Little Defenses I

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Portalegre > Elvas > Elvas > Defesinhas

Location

Situated in the Alentejo region, the Anta das Defesinhas I is located in the district of Portalegre, specifically in the municipality and town of Elvas, in the area known as Defesinhas. Its location is characteristic of the rural Alentejo environment, immersed in a landscape of open fields and gentle hills.

The site offers visitors an opportunity to connect with the tranquility of nature, far from the urban hustle and bustle. The surroundings provide a perspective of the vastness and serenity of the landscape that embraces this ancient monument, establishing a deep connection with the surrounding natural environment.

A Prehistoric Legacy

The Anta das Defesinhas I is a remarkable vestige of human presence in the Elvas region during the Neolithic period, a time dating back thousands of years before our era. This funerary monument represents a unique testament to the beliefs and practices of the prehistoric communities that inhabited these remote lands.

Designed as a collective burial site, its construction reflects a deep knowledge and a remarkable organizational capacity on the part of our ancestors, who dedicated significant efforts to building such imposing and enduring structures for their dead.

Megalithic Architecture

This monument exemplifies the robustness and simplicity of megalithic architecture. Its central structure is composed of large stone blocks, the orthostats, carefully selected and positioned to form an inner chamber, usually polygonal or circular in shape.

The chamber would have originally been covered by one or more large slabs that served as a roof, although these are not always preserved in their original position due to the passage of time and the action of the elements. The arrangement of these colossal stones reveals a surprising constructional ingenuity, capable of creating a space of deep symbolism.

The Bond with Time and Landscape

Visiting the Anta das Defesinhas I provides a deeply immersive experience into a distant past and the essence of the Alentejo landscape. Its presence on the land evokes an ancestral connection between the sacred and the natural, where the cycles of life and death were intrinsically linked to the surrounding environment.

The atmosphere surrounding the site invites reflection on the resilience of ancient civilizations and their ability to leave perpetual marks that endure to this day. This monument offers a unique perspective on the long history of human occupation in this vast and rich region.

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