Menhir do Patalou
The Menhir do Patalou ( Portuguese Menir do Patalou ) is in the Tapada of Bajanca, southeast of Nisa in the Portalegre district in Portugal .
The phallic menhir of Patalou is one of the largest in the Iberian Peninsula . He was found by a local hunter. Archaeological investigations were carried out in 2015. Charcoal at its base, which has undergone radiocarbon dating , has shown that the menhir was found around 4200 BC. Was set up. This could indicate that, like in Brittany , the Portuguese menhirs are older than the Antas or dolmens there . The monument is not yet placed under protection.
With a length of about 4.0 meters and a weight of about 7 tons, the menhir was erected by the early Neolithic communities in the context of the fertility cult. From the original decoration that the menhir had, traces of hitting lines and some bowls from later times are still present.
In order to preserve its standing pit and the cork oak next to it, the menhir was set up about six meters north of its original location, which is marked by a small granite stone . It was the first monument of its kind to be saved from decline. There are similar plans for Antas dos Saragonheiros and Antas de São Gens nearby. The idea behind this is to create a megalithic street to preserve the region's cultural heritage.
See also
Web links
Coordinates: 39 ° 28 ′ 57.6 " N , 7 ° 35 ′ 37.9" W.