Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Viseu > Carregal do Sal > Azenha > Oliveira do Conde
Situated in the quiet locality of Azenha, which is part of the parish of Oliveira do Conde, in the municipality of Carregal do Sal, the rock-cut tombs of the church slab are found in a rural environment typical of the Viseu region. The site is set in a predominantly natural scenery, where calm and tranquility invite contemplation. Its position, linked to the idea of a "church slab," suggests a historical proximity to an ancient place of worship or an area with lasting religious significance in the heart of the community.
The rock-cut tombs of the church slab are fascinating testimonies of communities that inhabited these lands in remote eras. Carved directly into the bedrock, these tombs evoke ancient funerary practices, probably medieval, although their origin might be even more ancient. Their existence underscores the long history of human occupation in the region and how our ancestors interacted with the natural landscape to mark their final resting places.
The denomination "church slab" points to a possible association with a disappeared ecclesiastical structure or a churchyard that would have served as a necropolis. This connection suggests that the site was an important landmark for the community, perhaps serving as a cemetery for the inhabitants of Azenha and surrounding areas over centuries.
These tombs are examples of simple yet robust funerary architecture, created through direct excavation into the bedrock. They are generally characterized by anthropomorphic shapes, resembling the outline of the human body, or by simpler rectangular forms, adapted to the natural morphology of the rocky outcrop. Their ruggedness and integration into the landscape give them an authentic and timeless character, revealing the skill and adaptation of medieval or even earlier populations in exploiting local resources for purposes as essential as burial.
The set of rock-cut tombs of the church slab represents significant archaeological value, being a direct link to the communities that lived and died here. Their preservation allows visitors a deeper understanding of the daily life, beliefs, and funerary rituals of past eras. They constitute a historical document in stone, inviting reflection on the passage of time and the persistence of human memory in this corner of Viseu.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.4380945,-7.9671735
Coordinates DMS: 40°26'17.1"N 07°58'1.8"W
Weather Azenha
On-duty Pharmacy Azenha
