Category: Archaeology > Cave
District: Santarém > Alcanena > Alcanena
The Gruta da Marmota opens on Cabeço das Figueirinhas, in the municipality of Alcanena, surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation and low shrubs. The small entrance, now protected by an iron grate, appears discreetly on a limestone slope, offering a contrast between the wild green of the exterior and the paler tone of the rocks.
In the vicinity lies a serene valley, where the silence is only broken by the song of birds and the rustle of the wind through the grass. This rural setting reinforces the feeling of isolation and of discovering an ancient site, far from urban noise.
Set within a Miocene limestone outcrop, the cave was formed in part by natural processes of dissolution and sedimentation. Over millennia, the various "chimneys" allowed the infiltration of rainwater, depositing sediments inside and shaping the floor with layers of clay and small carbonate pebbles.
Some hewn stone blocks visible at the entrance are the result of ancient interventions intended to widen the access. On the ceiling, traces of partial collapses show how the cavity was dynamic, changing over time and creating small side galleries covered with thin stalactites.
Accidentally discovered in the 1960s, the cave was revealed to be a Bronze Age necropolis, containing cremated human remains and carinated ceramic fragments. These funerary remains attest to ancient rituals, where fire and clay "jars" played a symbolic role in the preparation of the dead.
In addition to bronze artifacts, medieval ceramics and even some dating from later periods were found, a sign that the site was visited over the centuries. A small polished bone artifact, likely used to decorate pottery, stands out for its rarity and delicate craftsmanship.
The interior consists of a moderately sized chamber, partially filled with sediments brought in through the "chimneys". Natural light enters faintly through the openings in the ceiling, creating soft reflections on the limestone walls and outlining a space with a contemplative aura.
The visitor finds a contrast between stretches of firm ground and marshy areas, where the humidity encourages the growth of small algae and lichens. It is a setting where nature and history overlap, inviting a short pause to feel the temporal dimension of the place.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 39.44427425356774,-8.67812515272548
Coordinates DMS: 39°26'39.4"N 08°40'41.3"W
Weather Alcanena
On-duty Pharmacy Alcanena
