Os menires do Lavajo (Alcoutim)

Neste trabalho apresenta-se o resultado das escavações realizadas respectivamente em 1998 e em 2001 nos núcleos de menires de Lavajo 1 e de Lavajo 2, distanciados cerca de 250 m na direcção NNE e separados pelo pequeno vale do Lavajo bem como dos trabalhos de protecção, recuperação e valorização efectuados sobretudo no núcleo mais importante (Lavajo 1). Os locais, pelo menos actualmente, são intervisíveis, graças à implantação destacada no terreno: o núcleo de Lavajo 1 situa-se no topo de colina enquanto Lavajo 2 ocupa a linha de festo de uma encosta, conferindo ao local visibilidade tanto do lado sul como do lado norte. O conjunto de Lavajo 1 é constituído actualmente por três monólitos, todos de grauvaque: um, quase inteiro, de tendência fálica, é actualmente o maior menir de grauvaque conhecido em território português, atingindo o comprimento máximo de 3,14 m; outro, quase completo, fragmentado em três grandes blocos, possui formato estelar; o restante apresenta-se muito incompleto, dele se consevando apenas uma lasca da sua face frontal. É crível, no entanto, que pudessem existir mais monólitos, tendo em conta os abundantes fragmentos de grauvaque ali observados, quase todos com fracturas frescas. Todos os menires de Lavajo 1 se apresentam decorados, com destaque para o maior deles, o qual exibe complexa decoração estreitamente relacionada com a morfologia do suporte lítico, de carácter fálico. Apenas para este foi possível determinar o local de implantação, correspondente a um alvéolo de planta circular e fundo aplanado, parcialmente danificado pelos trabalhos realizados em 1994, que conduziram ao seu reerguimento, infelizmente feito de forma descuidada, tendo até sido colocado no terreno em posição invertida. Seja como for, na zona culminante daquele pequeno cabeço, implantaram-se três menires decorados, os quais não podem ser vistos isoladamente, já que se articulariam directamente com o conjunto de Lavajo 2, que se avista ao longe, do outro lado do pequeno vale do Lavajo e na linha de festo da encosta, da qual ocupa a partemédia. Neste segundo local, identificaram-se quatro estelas-menir não decoradas, todas de grauvaque, das quais apenas uma, representada por fragmento de pequenas dimensões, se encontrava in situ. Foi, no entanto, possível reconstituir a posição relativa das restantes, através da escavação integral do respecivo alvéolo, correspondente a rasgo alongado, orientado Este-Oeste, aberto no substrato geológico, constituído por xistos do Carbónico Superior finamente folheados. Deste modo, é de concluir que as estelasmenir se dispunham em linha, constituindo um painel lítico contínuo. No interior do alvéolo, recolheram-se diversos artefactos ali ritualmente depositados aquando da fundação do monumento, cuja tipologia indica o Neolítico Final, cronologia aliás compatível com a do conjunto megalítico de Lavajo 1, tendo presente a iconografia patente nos menires. Muito embora não se conheça ainda suficientemente o padrão de povoamento da região no Neolítico Final, estes dois núcleos megalíticos podem ter interpretados como marcadores de territórios e/ou de espaços sagrados, sendo de destacar a existência, durante todo o ano, de água nas proximidades imediatas, recurso escasso e precioso, que propiciaria a horticultura. Por outro lado, a natureza das matérias-primas utilizadas na confecção dos artefactos encontrados (sílex, anfibolito), para além de outros materiais de circulação transregional muito mais alargada (fibrolite), evidencia a forte interacção destas populações tanto com o interior do Baixo Alentejo (Zona de Ossa/Morena), como com o litoral algarvio ou andaluz, compatível com estádio de desenvolvimento económico do final do Neolítico do sul peninsular, atingido na segunda metade do IV milénio a.C. Numa vasta região, correspondente a todo o sotavento algarvio, onde o megalitismo não funerário era até agora totalmente desconhecido, os testemunhos ora estudados constituem, doravante, uma das expressões mais interessantes e significativas, cuja relevância se impõe numa área muito mais vasta, correspondente a todo o Sudoeste peninsular.

2002

e incorrecta, visto ter sido colocado no terreno em posição invertida. Seja como for, na zona culminante daquele pequeno cabeço, implantaram-se três menires decorados, os quais não podem ser vistos isoladamente, já que se articulariam directamente com o conjunto de Lavajo II, que se avista ao longe, do outro lado do pequeno vale do Lavajo e na linha de festo da encosta, da qual ocupa a parte média.

ln this study, we present the results of excavations conducted in 1998 and 2001, and the subsequente works of protection and rehabilitation of two loci of menhirs, Lavajo I and Lavajo II, located at 250 m of distance from each other, in a NNE direction and separated by the small valley of Lavajo (Alcoutim). Lavajo 1 is located on the top of a hill while Lavajo 2 is located on a slope, and both presented a good visibility southwards as well as northwards. Lavajo 1 has three monoliths made of greywacke: one, almost complete, of a phallic appearance, and currently the largest greywacke menhir known in Portugal, reaching a maximum length of 3,14 m; another, almost complete, broken in three large blocks; the third, very incomplete, with only a piece of its front side left. It is possible, however, that there were once more monoliths, considering that abundant fragments of greywacke were found at the site, all with fresh fractures. All the menhirs of Lavajo 1 were decorated. The largest one has a prominent decoration, strictly related to the morphology of the lithic support, and it was possible to determine its original location, on a small pit of circular plan and flat bottom. ln the second location (Lavajo II) four undecorated stele-menhirs, all of greywacke, were discovered, of which only one, represented by a small fragment, was found in situ. lt was, nevertheless, possible to reconstruct the relative positions of the remaining ones, through the excavation of their respective sockets, associated with an elongated groove, oriented east-west, and cut into the bedrock made up of finely foliate carboniferous schists. ln this way, we concluded that the stele-menhirs were arranged in a line and constituted a continuous lithic paneI. Within the pit-holes were recovered diverse artefacts ritually placed there during the construction of the monument, whose typology points to the Late Neolithic and whose chronology is compatible with that of the megalithic group at Lavajo 1, based on the iconography of the menhirs. Although the settlement pattern of the Late Neolithic in the region is not well-known, these two megalithic nuclei could be interpreted as territorial markers and/or sacred spaces; of note is the existence of year-round water sources in their immediate proximity, water being a scarce and precious resource which would have aided in horticulture. On the other hand, the nature of the raw materiais found (flint, amphibolite), in addition to other material obtained through extensive transregional trade (fibrolite), is evidence for regular interaction between populations in both the interior of the Baixo Alentejo (Ossa/Morena Zone), as well as along the Algarve or Andalusian coast, consistent with the level of economic development of the Late Neolithic of the southern Iberian Peninsula, in the second half of the IV millenium BC. ln a vast region, corresponding to the entire Eastern Algarve, where non-funerary megaliths were until now totally unknown, the sites of Lavajo 1 and II are interesting and one of the most significant expressions of the south western Iberian megalithism.

Revista XELB n.º 10, Actas do 7ºEncontro de Arqueologia do Algarve, Silves, pp.55-72, 2010

"The dolmen of Malhão is a small megalithic monument totally constituted by orthostats of graywacke whose construction dates from the late IV Millenium BC, located on the top of a schist-graywacke hill, dominating the regional reliefs close to the village of Afonso Vicente. It has a polygonal chamber and corridor, of which only the entrance was defined, by two orthostats fixed vertically. The remining space of the corridor was not shaped maintaining the schistgreywacke rocky levelling in the place where the other lateral orthostats should have been. In this way, we can see that the construction of the sepulchre was not concluded though the corresponding space of the interior of the chamber is entirely occupied by a slate greywacke stone of large dimensions, which has obliged to a huge investment. The placing of this element has preceeded the delimitation of the chamber by the respective orthostats, that if fixed by wedges, between it and the inner side of each orthostat. The first and unique tumulation performed in the chamber and part of the corridor, corresponds to an epoch integrated in the late phase of the Horizon of Ferradeira, in the final of the III millennium BC. Over a sterile layer with about 10/15 cm of thickness, meanwhile accumulated in the inner part of the chamber, we have identified a smooth carinated vase, accompanied by a small spherical callote cup, under which laid a Palmela point of evolved typology. In the corridor, next to the chamber, we have collected a long and narrow dagger corresponding to a model of transition between the chalcolithic and argaric metallurgic productions. It is a group of funerary pieces sealed and homogeneous, one of the few that in these circunstances have been clearly identified as belonging to the Horizon of Ferradeira defined by H Schubart in 1971, including the Baixo Alentejo and Algarve regions, with extensions to the Western Andaluzia. The sole deposition identified in the monument corresponds to a reutilization of it, and it was accompanied by the erection in the outside part of the precinct, and to the right side of it, of a stele showing one or two small fossettes in one of its faces. Its foundation was done at the level defined by a stone surface with a plant in horseshoe, constituted by elongated elements of graywacke, which surround in the exterior the chamber of the monument. The attentive disposition of that elements indicates that the monument did not posses tumulus, similarly to what was verified in other funerary monuments in the region, of the cist type, belonging to several epochs, from the Late Neolithic/Calcolithic to the Iron age, exploited previously by the authors in the municipality of Alcoutim."

A anta do Malhão é um pequeno monumento megalítico integralmente constituído por esteios de grauvaque cuja construção se reporta aos finais do IV milénio a.C., situado no topo de um cerro xistoso, culminante dos relevos da região, próximo da povoação de Afonso Vicente.

Estudos Pré- …, 1995

Portugália, nova série, vol.XXVI, 2005

This study presents a group of faiences from the village of Alcoutim. The chosen collection was found in a noble modern house and contributes to new information to knowledge of dating and classification of tinglazed earthenware. Typologies for the forms and decoration of these 15th until 18th even 19th century ceramics, produced in Portugal or imported from Spain and Italy, are presented.

Preservar/ Memória/ Património The research undertaken as part of the dissertation for Masters in Museology, with the theme " O Salgado de Alcochete - Percursos de sal: Perspectivas de Musealização” (The Salt of Alcochete - Salt Routes: Perspectives for Musealization) had as primary objective the musealization of one of the marines as a way of appreciating, preserving and disseminating the heritage of Alcochete as an important salt producer, a place of memory and identity. The subject developed here deals with the history of the salt in Alcochete, looks at the issues of production, the specificity of work performed here by the salt-makers. It also refers to the socio-economic related activity, demonstrating the value of heritage and culture of the marine community to the region, currently undergoing a rapid transformation caused by the construction of the Vasco da Gama Bridge in 1998 that puts Lisbon only 20 minutes away.

Mário Varela Gomes, 2024, Menires do Concelho de Loulé. In: al-Ulya, nº 28, pp. 33-62.