Did you know that these mounds before you are not natural hills? These are the Mamoas do Fulão. They are ancient burial monuments.
Welcome to the Mamoas do Fulão. These silent sentinels whisper stories of a culture from about 5000 years ago. It was a culture spread across Europe and parts of Asia. This is the Megalithic culture. Mega means big. Lithos means stone. The name comes from the large stones of the Dolmen.
What exactly are Mamoas? A Mamoa or Mamua or tumulus is a funerary monument. It is made of an artificial mound of earth. This mound is covered by a layer of small overlapping stones. This protects the dolmen chamber inside. Mamoas usually have an oval or circular shape. They were built with stone and sand. Their purpose was to protect the Dolmen by completely covering it. These structures could reach 40 meters in size. They completely covered the chamber and the corridor if there was one. The outer layers of the Mamoas would have been visible during construction. But vegetation gradually covered them over time.
The name Mamoa comes from the Romans. When they arrived in the Iberian Peninsula they called these monuments “mammulas”. This was because they resembled a woman’s breast. If Mamoas were only made of earth they would have easily been destroyed by erosion. This would have exposed the tombs. So the earth is supported with stones. This forms a protective layer and support around the Mamoa. The construction technique shows great architectural skill. The Mamoas were built to last without mortar.
In Portugal Mamoas are usually found in groups. They occupy flat areas. These are usually plateau areas. They are generally poor for agriculture. They are often located near old or existing roads. The Mamoas do Fulão are in the parish of S. Simão da Junqueira. Francisco Martins Sarmento discovered these two tombs in the late 19th century. They were badly damaged in the 20th century. Yet they still retain the elevation which is the main feature of the monument. The destruction of the Dolmens has led to a loss of information. We do not know the periods when the tombs were used. However other examples show that they were used at different times. This was over more than 2000 years.
Inside the tombs the dead were buried. They were buried with items to ensure their status continued after death. The bodies found in alkaline soil regions are often in a fetal position. This supports the idea of a cult of Mother Earth. The Dolmen was like a stone womb. The dead would find rest by returning to their pregnant mother.
Some believe the elevation of the Mamoa symbolizes the earth’s pregnancy. This represents a cult of Mother Earth. Equipped with better technology from the Neolithic period men created spaces for cultivation. They also created pasture in artificial clearings. This ensured they could settle in a specific territory. In these new territories they built their tombs the Mamoas.
The large stones of the Dolmen were cut using wooden wedges. These wedges were dried near a fire. They were then inserted into aligned holes in the stone. Water was poured over them. As the wedges swelled with water they split the stone into large blocks. Once cut the large stone blocks were dragged to the tomb site. The upright blocks forming the walls were dropped into holes in the ground. They were left half-buried. They were probably secured with trunks until the surrounding soil became firmer. When the Dolmen was almost complete a ramp of earth and stones was built. This prepared the Mamoa. It also provided access to the top for placing the covering stones.
After the tomb was built the entire structure was covered. Openings were left open only during burial. This was certainly accompanied by rituals that we do not know. These tombs were not collective graves. But they were often reused. The notables of the community would have been buried here. Materials found in Vila do Conde suggest warriors and metalworkers were buried here. Metalworkers were considered to have special powers because they knew how to smelt metals. Other items found include ceramics and ornaments. These would have been more commonly used.
The Mamoas do Fulão are a key part of our cultural heritage. Despite being little-known this Megalithic site is very important. Note that reaching the site is not easy due to the lack of signs.