La arqueología, lo imaginario y lo real. El santuario rupestre de Mogueira (São Martinho de Mouros, Portugal)

Abstract

Referred by several authors as an important rock sanctuary, the site of Mogueira stands like a paradigm of the difficulties that we have to deal with, when studying this type of places. Its archaeological excavation in 2009 allowed no only to deny the roman chronology for what was supposed to be a rock sanctuary, but also to identify the real cult place that really existed, not in the summit of the hill, but down in the valley, next to a water spring, where are located several rock engravings and rock inscriptions. Through a rigorous presentation of the archaeological data, we intend with this work, to tell what could have been the true story of Mogueira.