Category: Archaeology > Arte rupestre
District: Viana do Castelo > Viana do Castelo > Carreço > Montedor
Situated in the area of Montedor, in the parish of Carreço, municipality of Viana do Castelo, these rock engravings are found near the coast, in a natural and isolated environment. It is in the vicinity of the small Praia de Fornelos (Fornelos Beach) that the granite rocks where ancient art was inscribed can be seen, offering a seaside setting.
The engravings are carved on the lateral surface of two contiguous granite outcrops, one facing south and east, and the other west, positioned slightly above the sand line. Their location provides a discovery experience within a striking landscape setting.
These engravings are testimonies to the pre and proto-historic life of the region. Engraved millennia ago, they are estimated to date back to the Bronze Age, integrating into the vast collection of rock art from the Peninsular Northwest, known for its ancient or classical style. They represent a valuable cultural heritage left by the communities that inhabited this coastal area thousands of years ago.
The inscriptions were created using ancient rock pecking techniques, sometimes followed by abrasion, a meticulous process that allowed the artists of the time to shape the stone and leave their mark.
Upon observing the granite rocks, various engraved motifs can be found. Prominent among them are animal figures, especially cervids, drawn schematically. There are also semi-naturalistic representations, serpentiform shapes, and small clusters of grouped hollows, known as "possetes".
Among the visible patterns, some shapes resemble "horseshoes", and an anthropomorphic motif, that is, a human figure, can also be identified. The diversity of the designs invites interpretation and imagination about the meaning they would have held for their creators.
The Montedor Rock Engravings are classified as a Property of Public Interest, which underlines their importance in Portugal's archaeological and cultural landscape. This classification ensures the protection and recognition of this ancient site.
Their isolated location, by the seaside and in the surroundings of the Montedor promontory, invites quiet observation, where ancient art merges with the beauty of the coastal landscape. A visit allows a direct connection with the region's earliest history, in a preserved natural setting.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 41.747037,-8.877134
Coordinates DMS: 41°44'49.3"N 08°52'37.7"W
Weather Carreço
On-duty Pharmacy Carreço
