Anta 2 of Coureleiros

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Portalegre > Castelo de Vide > Santiago Maior > Coureleiros

Location

Situated in a serene rural landscape, characteristic of the Alentejo region, Anta 2 de Coureleiros is located in the area that gives it its name, in the locality of Santiago Maior, municipality of Castelo de Vide. The site is nestled within the natural surroundings of the Serra de São Mamede, an environment of pastures dotted with cork oaks, which lends an atmosphere of tranquility and contact with nature. The dolmen stands isolated in the terrain, near a path, offering a striking presence in the calm landscape of the area.

Memory of the Megalithic Era

This stone monument is a fascinating testament to the distant Megalithic Era, when ancestral communities inhabited this region. Built to serve as a collective sepulchral chamber, Anta 2 de Coureleiros reveals the rituals and beliefs of the peoples who lived here thousands of years ago. Visiting this site is like taking a journey back in time, imagining the effort and significance these structures held.

Imposing Construction

The architecture of the dolmen stands out for the size of its constituent stones. The main structure is formed by seven orthostats, large vertical granite slabs that delimited the chamber. Although the enormous capstone, the covering slab, has fallen inwards, it is possible to get a sense of the monumental character of the original construction. Part of the entrance corridor also remains, essential elements for understanding the plan of this type of funerary monument.

A Historical-Cultural Landmark

Recognized for its value, Anta 2 de Coureleiros has been classified as a National Monument since the beginning of the 20th century. This distinction underlines its importance in the Portuguese archaeological landscape and the need for its preservation. Today, beyond its initial historical and funerary significance, the dolmen serves as a historical-cultural landmark, inviting those who pass by to contemplate the antiquity of human occupation in the Alentejo landscape and to appreciate the robustness of megalithic architecture.

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