Megalithic Monument of Roça do Casal do Meio

Category: Archaeology > Megalithic Monument

District: Setúbal > Sesimbra > Casal do Risco > Roça do Casal do Meio

Location

The Megalithic Monument of Roça do Casal do Meio is situated in a quiet rural area in the region of Casal do Risco, in the municipality of Sesimbra. Part of the Quinta do Calhariz surroundings, it is located on a hillside covered with natural vegetation. This environment provides a serene visiting experience, allowing visitors to appreciate the heritage in a calm and authentic landscape setting.

Witness to the Late Bronze Age

This monument dates back to the Late Bronze Age, having been erected approximately three millennia ago, in the first half of the 1st millennium BCE. Classified as a megalithic funerary monument, it is a structure composed of a subcircular chamber with a false dome and an access corridor. Excavations revealed the presence of two burials, accompanied by a set of significant objects, such as bronze artifacts (buckles, fibulae, rings, and tweezers), an ivory comb, and various ceramic vessels, some with burnished ornaments.

A Singular Stone

The monument is essentially a sandstone block, approximately 1.20 meters high from the ground and 0.54 meters wide. Its peculiarity lies, in part, in the visible marks on its surface. On the west-facing side, it is possible to observe an incised cross, added in later periods, and three very regular circular cavities, known as "fossettes", the largest being 15 centimeters in diameter. These cavities suggest that the stone may have been used for ritual practices over the centuries. The architecture of this monument shows similarities with ancient structures found in other Mediterranean regions, such as the small Mycenaean tholoi and some Sardinian nuraghes, making it a rare and notable example in the Iberian Peninsula.

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