<< Our Photo Pages >> Anta do Tapadão - Burial Chamber or Dolmen in Portugal in Portalegre
Submitted by DrewParsons on Sunday, 09 May 2010 Page Views: 10156
Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Anta do Tapadão Alternative Name: Anta da Aldeia da MataCountry: Portugal Distrito: Portalegre Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Nearest Town: Crato Nearest Village: Aldeia da Mata
Latitude: 39.301000N Longitude: 7.71093W
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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I have visited· I would like to visit
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RobertoVer visited on 12th Jun 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Beautiful site. Description of directions is accurate. Gate was green in 2019.
Bak_teria visited on 24th Oct 2015 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
DrewParsons have visited here
Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4.5 Ambience: 5 Access: 4
About the size and architecture
This anta is the second largest in Portugal (after Anta Grande do Zambujeiro) and is well worth a visit. There is an 11 metre long passage of smooth granite stones each approximately 2 metres long with an outwards curve at the opposite end to the chamber. The orthostats forming the chamber are recessed into the ground, so the immense size of the dolmen is not initially appreciated until you peek inside it to see its four metre diameter. The seven mutually supporting and inwards leaning orthostats and one gateway stone are 4 metres tall and reflect the typical style in this part of Iberia. The gateway stone above the passage has been cut and fitted into place. The whole thing sits on a large mound.
About the artifacts
Excavations at the site have produced human bones, pot sherds, polished axes, part of a carved crook and necklace stones.
About the access
From the village of Aldeia da Mata take the Crato road. Just over a kilometre from the village there is a sign to the dolmen and a gate into the paddock on the right side of the road. You can drive through to the dolmen (and indeed I would recommend this in fine weather due to the large herd of inquisitive cattle who see it as their home). Shut the gate after you!! Follow the earth track ignoring the gated track to your right. Where the track bifurcates take the right track along a bumpy pot holed earth route for another 500 metres to reach the dolmen on your right. The GPS coordinates were taken by me at the site on a hand held GPS in April 2010.
Links and other information sources (texts written in portuguese):
- DGPC
- Portal do Arqueólogo
Aditional information:
- You are entering in private property but the access is possible.
- The entrance to the zone of the monuments may be blocked by 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).
Texts by DrewParsons, additional info by Bak_teria
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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
5.9km ESE 107° Museu Municipal de Crato* Museum
8.4km ESE 116° Anta do Crato* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
10.0km N 5° Anta de Gafete* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
10.6km ESE 114° Anta 2 do Couto dos Andreiros Burial Chamber or Dolmen
13.0km NNE 20° Menir da Casa Nova Standing Stone (Menhir)
13.5km NNE 30° Anta do Vale Joaninho* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
14.1km SSE 150° Anta dos Tapadões* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
14.9km NNE 31° Anta de Alpalhão* Modern Stone Circle etc
15.3km NNE 31° Dedo* Modern Stone Circle etc
16.4km N 11° Anta de São Gens 2* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
16.6km N 10° Anta de San Gens* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
18.0km NNE 21° Anta 1 e Menir dos Saragonheiros* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
18.3km NNE 20° Anta 2 dos Saragonheiros* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
19.8km NE 51° Anta da Coutada do Alcogulo* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
19.8km SSE 157° Anta da Serra das Penas Burial Chamber or Dolmen
19.9km SSE 157° Anta do Caldeira Burial Chamber or Dolmen
21.9km ENE 60° Anta do Sobral* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
22.6km NNE 26° Menhir do Patalou* Standing Stone (Menhir)
22.6km NE 42° Chafurdão das Lancheiras* Castro or Chafurdão
22.7km NE 36° Chafurdão do Vale de Cales* Castro or Chafurdão
22.8km NW 326° Anta das Pedras Brancas Burial Chamber or Dolmen
22.9km NE 35° Tapada do Alcaide* Rock Cut Tomb
22.9km NE 39° Anta do Curral do Galhordas* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
23.2km NE 51° Anta da Melriça* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
24.6km NE 35° Azinhaga da Boa Morte* Cist
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Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
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