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Resultados preliminares das escavações arqueológicas realizadas nos núcleos de Menires de Lavajo I e Lavajo II (Alcoutim)
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Abstract(s)
Neste trabalho apresenta-se o resultado das escavações realizadas respectivamente em 1998 e em
2001 nos núcleos de menires de Lavajo I e de Lavajo II, distanciados cerca de 2S0 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 I situase
no topo de colina enquanto Lavajo II ocupa a linha de festo de uma encosta, conferindo ao local
visibilidade, tanto do lado sul como do lado norte. O conjunto de Lavajo I 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. Todos os menires de Lavajo I se apresentam decorados, com destaque para o maior deles, o qual
exibe complexa decoração.
Em Lavajo II, identificaram-se quatro este las-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
respectivo 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 estelas menir 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 ser 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, anfibolitol. para além
de outros materiais de circu lação 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 sig nificativas, cuja relevância se impõe numa área muito mais
vasta, correspondente a todo o Sudoeste peninsular.
In this study, we present the results of excavations conducted in 1998 and 2001, and the subsequent 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 I 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. In 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 levei of economic development of the Late Neolithic of the southern Iberian Peninsula, in the second half of the IV millenium BC. In 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.
In this study, we present the results of excavations conducted in 1998 and 2001, and the subsequent 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 I 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. In 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 levei of economic development of the Late Neolithic of the southern Iberian Peninsula, in the second half of the IV millenium BC. In 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.
Description
Keywords
Arqueologia Escavações arqueológicas Período megalítico Baixo Alentejo Alcoutim
Citation
Cardoso, João Luís - Resultados preliminares das escavações arqueológicas realizadas nos núcleos de Menires de Lavajo I e Lavajo II (Alcoutim) - In XELB 4. Encontro de Arqueologia do Algarve, 1, Silves, 2003. "Actas do 1º encontro..." [Em linha]. Silves : [Câmara Minicipal], 2003. p. 53-68