Cave of the Upper Morgado

Category: Nature > Cave

District: Santarém > Tomar > Casais Novos > Além da Ribeira e Pedreira

Location

The Gruta do Morgado Superior is located in Casais Novos, a village in the municipality of Tomar. Situated in the area of Além da Ribeira and Pedreira, this cave benefits from a predominantly natural and rural environment. Its location gives it a discreet character, far from the busiest urban centers, offering an experience of discovery in a more secluded setting.

Testimony from the Late Neolithic

This cave is recognized as a site of particular historical and archaeological interest, dating from the Late Neolithic. This period, fundamental for understanding the first agricultural communities in the region, left important marks at this location. The cave served as a vital space for prehistoric populations, revealing their practices and social organization over the millennia.

A Collective Funerary Site

The most relevant significance of the Gruta do Morgado Superior lies in its role as a necropolis. Archaeological remains indicate that it was a collective burial site where specific funerary rituals were practiced. It is observed that, after the initial deposition, the bones were subsequently manipulated and organized into ossuaries, evidencing a complex relationship with death and the memory of ancestors by these ancient communities.

Archaeological Findings

Explorations in the cave have brought to light various artifacts that tell the story of the populations who used it. Among the findings are hemispherical bowls, flint tools such as adzes and blades, and percussors, which reveal the techniques and daily life of these Neolithic communities. Abundant human and cervid bones were also found, providing clues about the diet and environment of the time. These remains are currently studied and preserved, allowing a direct connection with Tomar's distant past.

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