‘Have any Megalithic structures been found in the Azores?’

Posted on by


AI – ‘Yes, researchers have identified various megalithic structures in the Azores, particularly on Terceira Island, which challenge the belief that the archipelago was uninhabited before the 15th-century Portuguese discovery. Key findings include structures similar to European passage graves, stone anchors, rock art, and, on some islands, mysterious stepped, pyramid-like structures. 

Key details regarding megalithic structures in the Azores include:

  • Terceira Island Structures: Several megalithic sites, particularly in the Pico do Espigão area, feature stone constructions resembling passage graves (dolmens). These often include a corridor leading to a chamber, sometimes with ceiling stones weighing over 2 tons.
  • Stone Art and Carvings: Many monolithic blocks show cup-marks and carvings, including “chess board” shapes similar to those found in Galician Copper Age sites.
  • Pyramidal Structures: Numerous, often geometric, pyramid-shaped stone piles have been documented on several islands, sometimes aligning with astronomical events like solstices.
  • Ancient Cart Ruts: Similar to those found in Malta, ancient “cart ruts” have been identified, suggesting, along with the structures, a far older human presence than previously thought.
  • Uncertain Origins: While some scholars argue these prove pre-Portuguese settlement (possibly Phoenician or Carthaginian), others caution that many sites require more rigorous archaeological dating to rule out later, early-settler construction. 

These discoveries have prompted ongoing research into the possibility of a Pre-Portuguese human presence on the islands.’

My next Q. – ‘What is the estimated age of the Megalithic Structures discovered in the Azores?’

AI – ‘ Megalithic structures, including dolmens, passage graves, and stone circles, discovered primarily on Terceira Island in the Azores, have been tentatively dated by some researchers to span from the Neolithic Age (before ~3000 BC) through the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age (up to ~1000 BC). However, these findings are considered highly controversial, with many professional archaeologists in Portugal viewing them as pseudoscientific, often attributing the structures to natural volcanic formations or later, post-15th-century, agricultural, or temporary constructions. Key details regarding the dating of these sites include:

  • Controversial Dating: Researcher A.F. Rodrigues has proposed, based on the analysis of ceramic shards found in a, “cylindrical hole,” in a, “megalithic construction” on Terceira Island, that the area was visited or inhabited around the XIth century AD (950 ± 30 BP) or earlier.
  • Older Interpretations: Some reports suggest that the “rock art” (cup marks) and specific, “megalithic” structures, which are compared to European passage graves, suggest a prehistoric, pre-Portuguese, human presence.
  • Lack of Consensus: The majority of archaeologists and historians maintain that the Azores were uninhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 15th century.
  • Alternative Findings: Other studies, based on lake sediment cores, have indicated human impact (such as livestock introduction and burning) as early as 700 CE – 850 CE, which is still centuries earlier than the official 1427/1431 discovery. 

While some, “megalithic-like”, constructions on Terceira and São Miguel are in the range of 2500–4000 years old, they are not universally accepted as human-made, with the “underwater pyramid” often cited in this context frequently debunked as a natural volcanic feature.’

So, some of these structures are over 6,000 years old.