Anta da Estria

About

The Anta da Estria is a megalithic dolmen situated between Belas and Queluz in the Lisbon District of Portugal. Based on datings of human remains, it is believed to date back to the Late Neolithic and early-Chalcolithic eras (4000-2500 BC). The Anta da Estria, the Anta do Monte Abraão and the Anta da Pedra dos Mouros (also known as the Anta do Senhor da Serra) are collectively known as the Antas de Belas, and were first identified in the 1870s by Carlos Ribeiro, who is regarded as the "father" of Portuguese prehistoric archaeology.

The dolmen is presently in a much-degraded condition and difficult to access. It was almost destroyed by construction in the 1990s of Portugal’s A9 motorway but was eventually incorporated into the landscaped area of a service station for that highway, facilitating easy access. However, the service area has since been closed and access by cars has been blocked.

Pedestrian access remains possible, using a footbridge over a motorway slip road. Carlos Ribeiro, who carried out research in early 1875 and published his results in 1880, described the tomb as having a polygonal chamber, 2-5 metres wide and 2.75 metres high, approached by a corridor bordered by small...