The post-paleolithic rock art in Beira Alta (Center of Portugal) (original) (raw)
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[BAR International Series 2878], Oxford: BAR Publishing, p. 63-76 ISBN 978 1 4073 1484 6
Focused on a rather unknown, far as rock art is concerned, region of central northwest Portugal, this chapter presents a first critical inventory of rock art sites and findings within the area of the Gralheira Massif, including a part of the basin of the River Paiva. The discussion focuses on a dozen sites, showing remarkable diversity in their supports and representations, as well as a significant chronological range, from Neolithic to historical periods. The simplicity of most of the motifs recorded on the rocks does not allow a clear integration of these petroglyphs into the main ‘style’ of Portuguese Atlantic rock art, as Schematic manifestations are largely predominant over Atlantic ones. Amongst the recorded sites and findings, almost entirely unpublished so far, it is worth highlighting Cando’s engraved stone, a unique schist slab profusely engraved with schematic motifs.
Rock art in the Iberian Central Chain: The cases of Piódão and Vide (Seia)
The former Rock Art National Centre (now integrated in the Archaeological Park of the Côa Valley) has studied several rock art sites located in the western part of the Iberian Central Chain of Mountains, an orographic feature that divides the Iberian Peninsula in two. As several researchers defend, in this zone of Central Portugal, the routes were extremely important, particularly after the introduction of bronze league in the social and economic life of prehistoric communities. In fact, if copper is common in the south, tin can be found to the north of this chain of mountains. Taking this into account, it is possible to argue that the control of routes linking the Iberian northwest with the south should be as important as the control over the sources of thin and copper (e.g. Vilaça 1995). In this paper, we will try to show that the engraving of some of these rocks can be explained in the context of this process. On the other hand, some of the sites that we will present can be earlier in date. These should be integrated in the artistic cycle of the rock art from Beira Alta.
PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF THE ROCK ART FROM BURACAS DA SERRA, ALVAIÁZERE (PORTUGAL)
This article aims to make public the archaeological site Buracas da Serra (municipality of Alvaiázere), which reveals the presence of a possible engraving of astral character, contributing to the understanding of Late Prehistory and Protohistory in the region. The first archaeological information mentioning the existence of rock art in this area was presented by Alexandra Figueiredo, on a report regarding archaeological work in the dolmen Anta I de Rego da Murta (Rego da Murta, Alvaiázere), in 2003 (Figueiredo, 2003), and developed in a deeper way during the presentation of a PhD thesis, in 2007 (Figueiredo, 2007), mentioning the existence of prehistoric art in the municipality of Alvaiázere, namely engravings and possible paintings on Anta I do Rego da Murta and engravings on the menhir of the same megalithic complex. After this work, archaeological interventions carried out in Alvaiázere and visits to new sites have enabled to reference more traces observed in cave context or on horizontal outcrops located in open spaces, connected with the mentioned megalithic complex or with the Alvaiázere Sierra. These discoveries have led to the proposal of a research project directed to the cavities of the Nabão river (2010-2011), integrated in the project PNTA ANTROPE – Anthropization of spaces – forms of adaptation of the natural resources and continuity of human occupations in Prehistory-and Protohistory in Extremadura (Portugal). One of the recorded sites was an engraving of astral typology, in the site Buracas da Serra. This figure appears isolated, in a cavity oriented to the East. The present symbolism, the carving technique and the proximity to some archaeological sites allows assigning it, chronologically, to a period between Late Prehistory and Protohistory.
Autores: Hipólito Collado Giraldo y José Julio García Arranz, en José Julio García Arranz, Hipólito Collado Giraldo y Gerorge Nash (eds.), The Levantine Question. Post-Palaeolithic Rock Art in the Iberian Peninsula, Budapest, Archaeolingua Foundation, 2012, pp. 227-261; ISBN 978-963-9911-31-4.
Paleolítico Superior y el periodo Neolítico constituye una línea de investigación que se viene abordando cada vez con mayor intensidad en la Península Ibérica. Ello resulta posible gracias fundamentalmente a recientes hallazgos en diversos contextos a lo largo y ancho del territorio peninsular que están permitiendo arrojar nuevas propuestas sobre aspectos referidos a técnicas, estilo y tipologías principales, algunas de las cuales incluyen al arte levantino como una de las manifestaciones más características de esta etapa. Un arte rupestre realizado en cualquier caso por grupos de economía cazadora-recolectora, herederos en el arte rupestre esquemático que, salvo puntuales excepciones, viene siendo considerado como la Bajo esta línea argumental vamos a abordar con el presente trabajo la caracterización de las manifestaciones de arte rupestre en el área occidental de la Península Ibérica encuadradas en este marco temporal que englobamos bajo la denominación de "ciclo preesquemático", tomando como base implantadas en otras áreas peninsulares.
The Upper Palaeolithic rock art of Portugal in its Iberian context
Prehistoric Art as Prehistoric Culture
This text presents a synthesis of what is known of Palaeolithic rock art in Portugal. We observe, in Portugal, a great graphic homogeneity in pre-Magdalenian rock art and considerable differences between the southern and northern rock art during the Magdalenian. However, during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition, we recognize a new process of homogenization of Portuguese rock art. This evolution is, nevertheless, perfectly explained when we take into account the wider Iberian context of Upper Palaeolithic rock art.
2008
This paper compiles the data regarding the Chalcolithic occupation of the Beira Interior known and published to date. We analyse the contexts, the models of spatial implantation, the most significant materials and the available radiocarbon dates. The absence of research projects specifically concerned with the study of the problematic of this period in this region is responsible for the weakness of much of the available information. With the exception of the megalithism of the South of the region, which has been studied over the past years, the Neolithic background is insufficiently known. For this reason, the chronological and cultural limits between the Neolithic and the Chalcolithic remain cloudy. Within the current state of the question, the Chalcolithic pottery of the region constitutes an important cultural indicator that reflects different influences from southern Beira or from the Meseta. We also analyse the situation of the Bell Beaker phenomenon, apparently little expressive in this region. The first metal productions, copper axes and weapons (some impure and others with arsenic), are also discussed.