Povoado fortificado e Santuário de Endovélico, Religious sanctuary in Alandroal, Portugal
The Sanctuary of Endovéliko sits atop São Miguel da Mota hill and displays remains from Roman times, including marble bases and foundation remnants of ancient buildings. The location was a fortified settlement with different areas for religious and daily activities.
The complex developed in the 1st century CE on the grounds of an earlier shrine called Rocha da Mina. By the 5th century, the location transformed into a Christian chapel and ceased its original religious function.
The site displays Latin inscriptions left by worshippers from different social backgrounds who visited during Roman times. These writings reveal the personal prayers and requests that people carved into stones as they sought help from the deity.
Access is by road, with marked trails leading to the remains and the fortified settlement area. The location sits on a hilltop, so some physical fitness is useful for exploring the entire site.
Among the stonework are numerous votive altars and funerary stones dedicated to Endovéliko, a pre-Roman deity of healing and prophecy. These objects show how deeply rooted belief in this local god was among the population.
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