<< Our Photo Pages >> Menir do Barrocal - Standing Stone (Menhir) in Portugal in Évora
Submitted by Bak_teria on Tuesday, 26 April 2016 Page Views: 5292
Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Menir do Barrocal Alternative Name: Menir da Herdade de São Lourenço do Barrocal, Estela-Menir do BarrocalCountry: Portugal Distrito: Évora Type: Standing Stone (Menhir)
Nearest Town: Reguengos de Monsaraz Nearest Village: Monsaraz
Latitude: 38.441901N Longitude: 7.413694W
Condition:
| 5 | Perfect |
| 4 | Almost Perfect |
| 3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
| 2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
| 1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
| 0 | No data. |
| -1 | Completely destroyed |
| 5 | Superb |
| 4 | Good |
| 3 | Ordinary |
| 2 | Not Good |
| 1 | Awful |
| 0 | No data. |
| 5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
| 4 | Short walk on a footpath |
| 3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
| 2 | A long walk |
| 1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
| 0 | No data. |
| 5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
| 4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
| 3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
| 2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
| 1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
| 0 | no data |
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External Links:
I have visited· I would like to visit
Bak_teria visited on 23rd Apr 2016 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4
rrmoser have visited here
This magnificent standing stone was Identified back in 1993, at Herdade de São Lourenço do Barrocal in Monsaraz, of the municipality of Reguengos de Monsaraz, at Évora district. This monument was originally erected in the Late Early Neolithic (5th millennium BC). This monument is not classified as a standalone but as part of the whole hill of Barrocal. Monte do Barrocal is classified as site of municipal interest since 25th of October, 2006.
About the size and location
This stela-menhir, is the highest standing stone of its kind arisen in Western Iberia by the prehistoric man. It occupies the centre of an artificially flatted platform, limited by remains of an oval shaped enclosure with, according to its longer axis, a northwestern-southeastern orientation. Archaeological digging, near the monolith base, led to the identification of its supporting structure remains.
About the engraved art and symbology
In the exhibit face, 78 engraved figures were identified. The stratigraphical analisys, the applied engraving techniques, the observed erosion degrees and some parallels, permitted to integrate those images in five main periods. The aforementioned surface forms a kind of palimpsest where iconographical sets can be dated from the Late Early Neolithic (5th millennium BC), when the monolith was erected, to the Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC), when it was already on the ground, thrown down during the Chalcolithic. The presence of big wavy lines, from the decoration earliest stage, the Middle Neolithic representation of a crosier and two idol shaped figures, the Late Neolithic or Chalcolithic zig-zag bands, and the Bronze Age simple or concentric circles, dot-and-circle or cup-and-ring-marks, are important to retain.
About the access
The access to the property of São Lourenço do Barrocal is open but this is private property. There is a rural tourism business going on at the location (check it out here). The owners and the staff are very friendly and they will point or give you a tour to the property if you're interested. They have planned some routes and there are more megalithic monuments inside the whole property to see. To get to this monument you just need to make a small walk of about 350 meters, taking as a starting point the buildings of the homestead.
Links and information sources (all texts written in Portuguese):
- DGPC
- Portal do Arqueólogo
- Document in PDF format about the results of the archaeological surveys made in 1995, written by Mário Varela Gomes
Aditional information:
- You are entering in private property but the access is possible.
- Always ask for permition to visit this site.
- The entrance to the zone of the monuments may be blocked by electric fences, they were essentially made to demarcate the land and not allow the escape of livestock.
- Usually there are spaces in the fences within these demarcated areas where the access is possible. When entering in demarcated land never forget to close the access gate of the location, you need to be very aware because cattle can escape.
- There are no signs prohibiting us from entering so the access can be open but be careful when you explore every time you see this red plaques that alert you for the Hunting Zones. Remind yourself that usually hunters can only hunt at selected hunting days (Thursdays, Sundays and on public holidays).
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Nearby sites
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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
1.5km NE 46° Anta 1 do Olival da Pega* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
1.7km NE 50° Anta 2 do Olival da Pega* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
1.7km NW 304° Menir de Santa Margarida* Standing Stone (Menhir)
3.1km ENE 68° Well of Telheiro* Holy Well or Sacred Spring
3.4km NE 55° Anta da Belhôa* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
3.5km NE 50° Menir da Bulhoa* Standing Stone (Menhir)
3.6km NNE 29° Menhir de Outeiro* Standing Stone (Menhir)
3.9km ENE 71° Cromeleque do Xarez* Stone Circle
5.4km W 274° Rocha dos Namorados* Standing Stone (Menhir)
5.5km E 98° Praia Fluvial de Monsaraz Modern Stone Circle* Modern Stone Circle etc
7.6km SW 234° Anta das Areias 1* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
7.6km SW 234° Anta das Areias 2* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
8.2km W 272° Cromeleque do Monte da Ribeira do Álamo* Stone Circle
9.6km WSW 241° Menir dos Gorginos* Standing Stone (Menhir)
10.6km WSW 240° Menir na Herdade das Vidigueiras* Standing Stone (Menhir)
11.2km SSE 166° Museu da Luz* Museum
11.3km W 269° Menires na Herdade dos Perdigões* Stone Circle
11.4km SW 236° Farisoa* Stone Circle
15.8km NNW 329° Pedra do Galo* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature
18.4km W 268° Anta e Menir da Igreja de São Vicente do Pigeiro* Modern Stone Circle etc
18.9km NNE 27° Anta de Santa Luzia* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
21.3km SSW 204° Anta da Torrejona 1* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
21.3km NNE 16° Sepulturas Medievais de Rosário* Rock Cut Tomb
21.3km SSW 204° Anta da Torrejona 2* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
21.3km NNW 335° Anta da Vinha* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
View more nearby sites and additional images
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Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.