Palaeoenvironmental investigations around the Anta da Lajinha and the broader regional context

4 Palaeoenvironmental investigations around the Anta da Lajinha and the broader regional context (pp. 139-170)
Charles French, William Fletcher, Marco Madella, Cristiana Ferreira, Nelson J. Almeida, Pierluigi Rosina and Chris Scarre
https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv138wsbz.8
The palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the surroundings of the Anta da Lajinha is crucial for the understanding of the human behaviour and symbolism behind its construction. The application of micromorphological, palynological and anthracological analysis to the excavated areas and nearby valleys aimed to clarify whether the tomb was constructed in a forest clearing or in a landscape already altered by cultivation and grazing activities.

This chapter presents the results of these studies, integrating them with existing palaeoenvironmental data for the Tagus Valley and the Iberian Peninsula at a larger scale. For the Tagus Valley, existing information demonstrates agricultural and pastoral activities...