Anta dos Morenos 1

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Portalegre > Ponte de Sor > Montargil > Sagolga

Location

The Anta dos Morenos 1 is serenely situated in the Alentejo region, specifically in the locality of Sagolga, within the municipality of Ponte de Sor, belonging to the district of Portalegre. Located amidst the vast and characteristic rural landscapes that define the interior of Portugal, this prehistoric monument offers an environment of tranquility and introspection, immersed in the Alentejo nature. Its position allows visitors to appreciate the quietness of the countryside and the sensation of time stretching back millennia, providing direct contact with the peaceful essence of the region.

Memory of Remote Eras

This archaeological site is a silent testament to the communities that inhabited these lands thousands of years ago, during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, between the fourth and third millennia BC. The Anta dos Morenos 1 functioned as a collective burial site, a sacred space where our ancestors laid their dead, reinforcing social cohesion and the relationship with the territory. It is a direct link to the rituals and beliefs of an ancient civilization, marking its lasting presence in landscape and time.

The Expression of Stone

As an example of megalithic architecture, the Anta dos Morenos 1 was constructed using large stone blocks, known as orthostats, which form its funerary chamber. Although the exact details of its structure may vary, these constructions typically feature a polygonal or circular chamber, covered by a monumental capstone, the 'chapéu'. The grandeur and the way these stones were erected and fitted without the aid of modern technology reflect the skill, organization, and deep technical knowledge of the prehistoric communities that conceived and built them, making it a remarkable landmark of ancestral engineering.

Natural and Symbolic Setting

The Anta dos Morenos 1 is not just a stone structure, but also an integral part of the natural environment that surrounds it. Its presence in the Sagolga landscape, often under the vast Alentejo sky, invites reflection on the deep connection that ancestral societies had with the land and the cosmos. These monuments were often erected in prominent locations, perhaps with views of cultivation or pasture areas, assuming a role not only funerary but also symbolic, marking the dominion or importance of a given territory for the communities that lived here. The visit allows an immersion into a setting where history and nature intertwine in an enveloping stillness.

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