Alcogulo Dolmen

Category: Archaeology > Dolmen

District: Portalegre > Castelo de Vide > Castelo de Vide > São João Baptista

Location

Situated in the rural area of the parish of São João Baptista, in the municipality of Castelo de Vide, the Alcogulo Dolmen is found in an isolated spot, at an altitude of approximately 342 meters. It is surrounded by low vegetation and shrubs, close to a property wall, fitting into the characteristic landscape of the Alto Alentejo region.

A Prehistoric Dolmen

The Alcogulo Dolmen is a megalithic monument dating from the period between 4000 and 2000 BC. This type of construction, erected by ancient communities, constitutes one of the most visible testimonies of Prehistory in Portuguese territory, revealing aspects of the beliefs and social organization of the time.

Funerary Structure

Originally conceived as a collective burial site, the Alcogulo Dolmen is classified as a passage dolmen. Its chamber is formed by seven large granite orthostats, arranged vertically, two of which are broken. The chamber, which is wider than it is high, is covered by a single, impressive stone slab.

The Access Corridor

Integrated into the structure, the dolmen features an access corridor, oriented to the east. This corridor, with a minimum length of 4.50 meters, was the passage to the funerary chamber. Three slabs that were part of its original covering can still be observed, allowing one to imagine the size and monumentality the complex would have had in its time.

Historical Importance

The Alcogulo Dolmen was classified as a National Monument in 1910, an official recognition of its high historical and heritage value. It is considered by specialists to be one of the best examples of passage dolmens existing in the Castelo de Vide region and the Alto Alentejo, representing a fundamental point for the study and understanding of the societies that inhabited this area thousands of years ago.

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