Dolmen in Dombate

O Camiño dos Faros reaches one of the most important monuments of the megalithic art in Galicia. The Dolmen in Dombate. This Dolmen has been the object of different excavations and studies. It has been recently created a plan to complete its restoration by protecting it with a dome of wood and a center for its study has been built.

Dates back to the year 3000 and 2500 b.c. and both its beauty and good condition have made it be considered the “Cathedral of the Galician Megalithic art”, being used as a literary source by great poets such as Eduardo Pondal. When carrying out the excavations, professor Bello and his team, have got to the conclusion that there was an even older dolmen under this one. 

When we start the visit of the center of research, we are aware of its great splendor, enjoying its paintings and learn a bit more about its origin.

The Dolmen in Dombate is formed by seven big vertical slabs and one that covers them. All of them together form a polygonal chamber of 4*2’5 meters. The corridor is east-orientated. The polychrome engravings that were in the inner part of the slabs are not easy to see as there are only some geometric forms with parallel and oblique lines painted with black and red colors that they got from the charcoal and the iron oxide respectively.
 

Regarding the remains that have been found, there are some flint blades, arrows and polished axes, necklaces and ceramic pieces that belonged to the trousseau of the chief of the tribes to make the “travel” after dying easier. The divinity was represented by different human-shaped images placed along the corridor.

We, the “Trasnos” are not archaeologists, but after visiting the dolmen and seeing it in its original state, we left the place with a weird feeling as we think that something bad has been made to keep such a monument under such a big piece of wood that makes it seem to be much smaller. Suddenly, we wonder if it will stay there and it that condition 5000 years more.

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