A concentration of pits in a very small area was excavated at Outeiro Alto
2. The concentration was generically circular (Figure 1).
Figure 1
The pits were all
almost empty of archaeological material. In the periphery there were three Late
Neolithic hypogea and a grave pit
(Figure 2).
Figure 2
To try to understand the concentration of pits in
this small area, with no overlaps and surrounded by tombs, a study of the
morphology and volumes of the pits was done. It was possible to cluster the
pits in three groups of sizes and deepness (Figure 3).
Figure 3
When those clusters were plotted in the plan, a
pattern emerged (Figure 4): the deepest pits formed a circle with a square in
the centre and two pits towards north; then surrounded by the smallest pits;
and the intermediate pits scattered in the SW area.
Figure 4
The distribution, the size
of the central pits and the absence of archaeological material inside them
(just two or three small shards of pottery) clearly suggest a circular wooden structure of henge type surrounded by the tombs.
This context is published here: Valera & Filipe,2012.
Makes sense!
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