Rock Paintings of the Vale de Junco Shelter / Lapa dos Gaivões

Category: Archaeology > Rock Paintings

District: Portalegre > Arronches > Hortas de Baixo > Cova dos Defuntos

Location

The Vale de Junco Shelter, also known as Lapa dos Gaivões, is located in the municipality of Arronches, near the village of Hortas de Baixo. It is situated in a rural and tranquil area, integrated into the Cova dos Defuntos region.

This site is nestled on the southern slope of the Serra de Louções, characterized by quartzite rock formations and surrounded by pine forest, offering a natural and secluded environment conducive to contemplation.

Millennial Rock Art

This rock shelter preserves a remarkable collection of rock paintings, testaments to peoples who inhabited the region thousands of years ago. The art on the walls is of the schematic type and was executed with reddish-colored paint, applied directly onto the quartzite rock.

The painted figures are varied and difficult to interpret literally, but it is possible to identify representations resembling human forms (anthropomorphic) and animals (zoomorphic). There are also drawings of abstract forms, such as comb-like elements (pectiforms), sinuous lines (serpentiforms), branching figures, and marks that seem to indicate counts. This art dates back to the Neolithic or Chalcolithic period, although there are interpretations that place it even further back in time.

Historical and Cultural Value

The rock art of the Vale de Junco Shelter is particularly significant in the Portuguese context, as schematic paintings are rare in our country, being more common in the southern Iberian Peninsula. Its presence here represents a "late prolongation" of this important artistic cycle.

Due to its antiquity and importance as a prehistoric vestige, the Vale de Junco Shelter / Lapa dos Gaivões was classified as a National Monument, recognizing its invaluable worth for understanding the distant past of Portuguese territory.

Visiting the Site

Located on an isolated slope of the Serra de Louções, access to the shelter allows visitors to immerse themselves in a natural and serene environment. An access platform has been installed to facilitate the observation of the paintings, allowing for a closer and safer experience of the rock art.

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