5 Kms west of Portimão and 4 Kms north of The
Championship Golf Course of Penina, Alcalar is now little more than a well
spread hamlet having the benefit of a mini-market, a café and some local
restaurants. Despite its proximity to Portimão the area has managed to
remain rural and enjoys spectacular views to the Monchique hills to the
north and from some locations, a view of the sea. However, around five
thousand years ago there was a huge settlement standing on a hillock next
to what is now Alcalar. The settlement stood at the end of the River Torre
which was then navigable and enabled the population to take full advantage
of the coastal fishing riches.
 Besides the
Torre, the Arão and the Farelo rivers also provided limited transportation
and access to the coast which allowed the inhabitants to exploit fully the
fishing and shellfish. However, during the third millennium BC the whole
of the plain in that area, from the sea to the hills, offered a near
perfect range of natural resources to support human habitation. A wide
range of various rocks and stones as well as wood provided raw material
for building purposes, a small amount of copper for artefacts and it was
even possible to obtain alluvial gold from the river beds. Springs of
drinking water together with the many streams provided a fertile soil for
growing cereals and vegetables as well as providing excellent grazing land
for animals. In those years the richness of the land would have supported
much more vegetation than is seen today and as a result it is likely that
there was also abundant game.
Based upon the richness of area other
settlements grew up around this central locationand as a result megalithic
funeral temples were built on the low slopes. A broad range of
architectural examples were constructed and despite mans “progress” over
the centuries the positions and remains of many of the buildings can still
be seen today. This is perhaps due to the fact that Alcalar’s exceptional
pre-historic monuments have been the subject of archaeological research
from 1880 and were declared a National Monument in 1910.
 Excavation continues under the auspices of
Instituto Português do Patrimonio Arquitectonico to this day and the site
is open to visitors for a nominal entry fee. |
|
|
