Necropolis of Carenque

The Necropolis of Carenque is an archaeological site consisting of three well-preserved late Neolithic collective sepulchres or tombs, dating back to about 3000 BCE [1]. It is situated in the municipality of Amadora in the Lisbon District of Portugal [1]. The site was discovered and excavated in 1932 and was classified as a National Monument in 1936 [1]. Tombs such as these are usually designated as 'artificial caves' or hypogea because they were excavated in the rock [1]. They are part of a Mediterranean funeral tradition that was widely practised in the area of what is now known as Portugal [1]. The first depositions of corpses in the Necropolis of Carenque go back to the end of the Neolithic period (around 3000 BCE), when there was already an agro-pastoral economy in the area, as opposed to hunting and gathering [1].