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Abstract(s)
A evolução das linhas de investigação que a equipa da UNIARQ tem vindo a prosseguir em Reguengos de Monsaraz desde 1995 talvez a não conduzisse de raiz à periferia do Grupo megalítico, mas a realização de um plano de minimizações de impacte subvencionada pela EDIA inverteu os rumos do projecto, colocando novas problemáticas e permitindo que outras fossem retomadas.
Estamos, portanto, confrontados com um conjunto de intervenções muito recentes ou ainda em curso quando o presente estudo começou a ser elaborado.
Em termos da história da investigação do megalitismo de Reguengos de Monsaraz, deparámo-nos assim com uma situação inédita: a possibilidade de estudar integralmente um conjunto de monumentos e uma dada
problemática numa calendarização relativamente curta (1998-2000).
A investigação do megalitismo, mesmo sob um regime contratual, não se pode constranger a uma abordagem monográfica de monumentos e sítios, sendo também importante a compreensão em termos globais de conjuntos determinados dentro do grupo megalítico de Reguengos de Monsaraz e particularmente das suas áreas limítrofes.
O presente trabalho oscila assim entre duas escalas de análise, privilegiando-se uma leitura transversal
do posicionamento relativo deste conjunto de monumentos (o grupo oriental), o seu posicionamento absoluto face à paisagem (pedra, água, relevo, solos), as suas opções arquitectónicas e uma primeira leitura da sua utilização (o estudo de materiais encontra-se ainda numa fase inicial).
Na verdade, as próprias características dos monumentos e a sua implantação parecem indicar uma subdivisão dentro da franja oriental:
1. Núcleo do Piornal: PRN2, MPN, PRN1, PRN3, CPL1 e 2;
2. Anta do Xarez, com posicionamento isolado.
O núcleo do Piornal estrutura-se em ambas margens da Ribeira do Álamo. Considerando as plantas e o espólio, os monumentos escavados parecem apontar para um período inicial do megalitismo da região (monumentos com câmara poligonal simples, corredor com esquema 1+1 ou 2+2 curto, dimensão pequena/média, paralelizáveis com alguns dos monumentos mais antigos da região; escasso espólio). Estes
elementos parecem indicar um reduzido número de deposições funerárias previsto de origem, e realmente efectuadas, com um âmbito individual ou unifamiliar previsto no momento da sua construção. A anta 2 do Piornal e a anta 3 do Piornal integram-se neste quadro global, com algumas variantes.
A anta 1 do Xarez parece assumir uma posição mais isolada na chamada “Baixa do Xarez”, próximo do Guadiana, tendo Monsaraz no seu horizonte próximo. Não havendo outras antas conhecidas nas suas imediações, verifica-se no entanto a presença de megalitismo não funerário, nomeadamente o conhecido menir do Xarez e o “pseudo-cromeleque” construído já na segunda metade do século XX em torno dele. Com um esquema simples de arquitectura, este monumento foi intensamente usado durante o Neolítico final/Calcolítico, a avaliar pela abundância de espólio nele recolhido. Ainda na Pré-História, este monumento sofreu uma remodelação consubstanciada no esvaziamento parcial do espólio para o exterior da câmara e na colocação de lajes de xisto em posição anexa ao exterior da Câmara e com intenção indeterminada.
O posicionamento destes monumentos parece conferir uma provável inicial ligação entre eles.
Esta correlação poderá não constituir apenas uma simples hipótese ou instrumento de trabalho e já
em 1992 um dos signatários, ao efectuar um primeiro ensaio de leitura de “grupos dentro do grupo”, considerara duas áreas, a Norte e a Sul da Ribeira do Álamo, e a presença de duas “periferias”, a Oeste (sensivelmente na área de Reguengos de Monsaraz) e a Este, próximo do Guadiana, o subgrupo oriental.
A questão dos “centros” e “periferias” destes megalitismos prende-se aliás com a existência de uma evidente “estratigrafia horizontal” nas construções dos espaços da morte do grupo megalítico de Reguengos de Monsaraz. Estando agora comprovada a presença de uma ocupação de Neolítico antigo, sobretudo junto ao Guadiana, de que forma se estabeleceu a dispersão do megalitismo funerário?
É justamente neste “subgrupo periférico oriental” que este conjunto se enquadra. Estaremos assim
na presença de uma periferia autonomizada no “grupo oriental” na transição entre o grupo megalítico de Reguengos de Monsaraz e a área do Guadiana? A resposta não é tão simples como se poderia crer.
The evolution of different direction of research that the UNIARQ team has undertaken at Reguengos de Monsaraz since 1995 has perhaps not gotten of the megalithic problem. However, the execution of a cultural mitigation project subsidized by EDIA altered the direction of the project, put into place new goals, and allowed others to be revisited. We were, therefore, confronted by a set of studies that were very recent or still in progress when the present study began to be elaborated. In terms of the history of investigation of megalithism in Reguengos de Monsaraz, we encountered an unknown situation: the possibility of completely studying a group of monuments and a given problem within a short period of time (1998-2000). The study of megalithism, even in a contract situation, should not be limited to a monographic summary of monuments and sites, as it is also important to understand the larger scale patterns both within Reguengos de Monsaraz and within surrounding areas. The present work oscillates between two scales of analysis, emphasizing a general interpretation of the relative position of these monuments (the eastern group), their position relative to the landscape (stones, water, relief, soils), their architectonic characteristics, and a preliminary interpretation of their function (the study of materials is still in an early phase). In reality, the characteristics of the monuments and their contexts appear to indicate a subdivision within the eastern zone. 1. The Piornal Group: PRN2, MPN, PRN1, PRN3, CPL1 and 2; 2. Anta do Xarez, with its isolated location. The Piornal Group is situated on both banks of the Ribeira do Álamo. Based on the plans and material finds, the monuments excavated appear to point to an early period of megalithism in the region (monuments with simple polygonal chamber, corridor with a 1+1 scheme or short 2+2, small/medium size, comparable with some of the earlier monuments of the region; scarce material remains). These elements appear to point to a reduced number of funerary deposits, with only an individual or a single family buried within them at the time of their construction. Anta 2 of Piornal and Anta 3 of Piornal can be placed within this general scheme, with some variations. The Anta 1 of Xarez appears to assume a more isolated position in the so-called ‘Baixa do Xarez’, next to the Guadiana, with Monsaraz to its horizon. Although other dolmens are not known in its immediate vicinity, there are non-funerary megaliths, namely the well-known menhir of Xarez and the ‘pseudo-cromeleque’ constructed in the second half of the 20th century. With a simple architectural scheme, Xarez 1 was intensely used during the Late Neolithic or Chalcolithic, given the abundance of the burial remains found in it. Even in prehistory, this monument underwent significant remodeling - in the partial removal of the interior remains for the exterior of the chamber and in the annexing of the schist slabs to the exterior of the chamber for unknown reasons. The positioning of these monuments suggests a relationship between them. This correlation might not constitute a single explanation or one construction phase, as already in 1992, one of the authors, upon carrying out a first interpretation of a group of monuments within the group, considered there to be two areas, the north and the south of the Ribeira do Álamo, with two peripheries, a western (in the area of Reguengos de Monsaraz) and an eastern, next to the Guadiana. The question of centers and peripheries of these megalithic groups is linked, however, to the evidence for the horizontal stratigraphy of the funerary monuments of Reguengos de Monsaraz. As an Early Neolithic occupation has now been demonstrated, particularly along the Guadiana, in what way was the spread of funerary megalithism established? It is precisely within the eastern peripheral subgroup that this group can be placed. Are we then faced with the presence of an autonomous periphery in the eastern group between the megalithic group of Reguengos de Monsaraz and the area of the Guadiana? The answer is not as simple as one might imagine.
The evolution of different direction of research that the UNIARQ team has undertaken at Reguengos de Monsaraz since 1995 has perhaps not gotten of the megalithic problem. However, the execution of a cultural mitigation project subsidized by EDIA altered the direction of the project, put into place new goals, and allowed others to be revisited. We were, therefore, confronted by a set of studies that were very recent or still in progress when the present study began to be elaborated. In terms of the history of investigation of megalithism in Reguengos de Monsaraz, we encountered an unknown situation: the possibility of completely studying a group of monuments and a given problem within a short period of time (1998-2000). The study of megalithism, even in a contract situation, should not be limited to a monographic summary of monuments and sites, as it is also important to understand the larger scale patterns both within Reguengos de Monsaraz and within surrounding areas. The present work oscillates between two scales of analysis, emphasizing a general interpretation of the relative position of these monuments (the eastern group), their position relative to the landscape (stones, water, relief, soils), their architectonic characteristics, and a preliminary interpretation of their function (the study of materials is still in an early phase). In reality, the characteristics of the monuments and their contexts appear to indicate a subdivision within the eastern zone. 1. The Piornal Group: PRN2, MPN, PRN1, PRN3, CPL1 and 2; 2. Anta do Xarez, with its isolated location. The Piornal Group is situated on both banks of the Ribeira do Álamo. Based on the plans and material finds, the monuments excavated appear to point to an early period of megalithism in the region (monuments with simple polygonal chamber, corridor with a 1+1 scheme or short 2+2, small/medium size, comparable with some of the earlier monuments of the region; scarce material remains). These elements appear to point to a reduced number of funerary deposits, with only an individual or a single family buried within them at the time of their construction. Anta 2 of Piornal and Anta 3 of Piornal can be placed within this general scheme, with some variations. The Anta 1 of Xarez appears to assume a more isolated position in the so-called ‘Baixa do Xarez’, next to the Guadiana, with Monsaraz to its horizon. Although other dolmens are not known in its immediate vicinity, there are non-funerary megaliths, namely the well-known menhir of Xarez and the ‘pseudo-cromeleque’ constructed in the second half of the 20th century. With a simple architectural scheme, Xarez 1 was intensely used during the Late Neolithic or Chalcolithic, given the abundance of the burial remains found in it. Even in prehistory, this monument underwent significant remodeling - in the partial removal of the interior remains for the exterior of the chamber and in the annexing of the schist slabs to the exterior of the chamber for unknown reasons. The positioning of these monuments suggests a relationship between them. This correlation might not constitute a single explanation or one construction phase, as already in 1992, one of the authors, upon carrying out a first interpretation of a group of monuments within the group, considered there to be two areas, the north and the south of the Ribeira do Álamo, with two peripheries, a western (in the area of Reguengos de Monsaraz) and an eastern, next to the Guadiana. The question of centers and peripheries of these megalithic groups is linked, however, to the evidence for the horizontal stratigraphy of the funerary monuments of Reguengos de Monsaraz. As an Early Neolithic occupation has now been demonstrated, particularly along the Guadiana, in what way was the spread of funerary megalithism established? It is precisely within the eastern peripheral subgroup that this group can be placed. Are we then faced with the presence of an autonomous periphery in the eastern group between the megalithic group of Reguengos de Monsaraz and the area of the Guadiana? The answer is not as simple as one might imagine.
Description
Keywords
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Gonçalves, V. S., & Sousa, A. C. (2003). Novos dados sobre o grupo megalítico de Reguengos de Monsaraz: o limite oriental. In V. S. Gonçalves (Ed.), Muita Gente, Poucas Antas? Origens, espaços e contextos do Megalitismo. Actas do II Colóquio Internacional sobre Megalitismo. (pp. 198-226). Lisboa: Ministério da Cultura / Instituto Português de Arqueologia.
Publisher
Ministério da Cultura / Instituto Português de Arqueologia