Dolmen 1 of Torre das Arcas

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Portalegre > Elvas > Elvas > Bairro da Abóboda

Location

Situated in the vicinity of the city of Elvas, in an area known as Bairro da Abóboda, Anta 1 de Torre das Arcas is set in a predominantly rural environment. The monument is located in an open cultivated field, framed by the typical Alentejo landscape, with its characteristic cork and holm oak woodlands. Its elevated position, at about 361 meters above sea level, allows it to stand out in its surroundings, offering a view over the surrounding landscape.

A Portal to the Past

This monument is a remarkable example of megalithic culture, built during the Neolithic-Chalcolithic period, between the 5th and 3rd millennia BCE. The dolmen features a trapezoidal chamber, where seven of its original orthostats, the imposing vertical slabs that formed the walls, remain. The capstone, known as the "hat," is currently toppled inside the structure.

The complex includes a significant mamoa (burial mound), the artificial mound of earth and stones that once completely covered the dolmen, and which still preserves three containment rings. Although the access corridor is not visible on the surface, it is possible that it remains preserved beneath the mound. Most of the structure is composed of blocks of schist, a material abundant in the region, which provided robustness to these ancient funerary constructions.

Archaeological Memories

Originally, Anta 1 de Torre das Arcas served as a collective funerary space, where prehistoric communities deposited the bodies of their members. Today, the site functions as a cultural and recreational monument, inviting reflection on the antiquity of human presence in Alentejo. The archaeological importance of the dolmen is highlighted by the various excavations and studies carried out here over the centuries by renowned researchers.

The very toponym of the estate where it is located, "Torre das Arcas," echoes the memories of this site. The word "arcas" (arks/chests) alludes to the five dolmens that, at the time, constituted this necropolis, seen as "chests" or "arks" where the deceased were "kept." The designation "torre" (tower), in turn, may be linked to remnants of Roman occupation in the vicinity, particularly of villae that frequently included a tower. Indeed, in the area surrounding the dolmen, fragments of Roman pottery can still be observed, indicating continuous occupation of the territory throughout different historical periods.

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