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Cova de Mas de N'arques

Cova de Mas de N'arques

A shelter known beside the path to the Margalef reservoir (Montsant), with an interior construction that served as a dwelling and a water seep.

Margalef • Priorat 10m

A shelter known beside the path to the Margalef reservoir (Montsant), with an interior construction that served as a dwelling and a water seep.

Characteristics

Location

From Margalef we take the T-713 towards Ulldemolins. At km 8.2 the paved path that leads to the Margalef reservoir branches off. After travelling 750 m we pass the old mill of the Vilar, and after 450 m we see the cova de la Jaia, which forces the path to make a slight detour. A few metres further on we find the cova del Mas de n'Arques.

Map

Entrances

Always verify coordinates and access conditions before setting out.

  1. Mas de N'arques, Cova de

    Elevation: 418 m

    41.297662, 0.777349
    UTM 31T (ETRS89) 313909 4574184
Download all entrances as GPX

Photos

Cova de Mas de N'arques - Photo, Margalef, PrioratView image
Click to enlarge

Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

Image 1 of 3

Description

Morphology

Of elongated configuration, it exceeds 80 m in length by some 10 in width.

The ceiling of the cavity is quite blackened, which denotes a long-lasting occupation.

Hydrology

Inside the cave, close to the wall, there is a water seep.

Other details

Inside it shelters a construction that served as a dwelling with a partition wall in the middle that divides it into two parts. The floor has been conveniently levelled and smoothed so that this building could be erected.

A few years ago the doors were repaired, one on the E side and the other on the W, and the walls of the building, but in some notes taken in 2005 we confirmed that the sockets of a very old door could still be seen. The wall sections are about 50 cm wide, they are well preserved and it is noteworthy that some parts are built with better-worked stones than the rest and it presents a single window consisting of a loophole opening, which gives it a defensive character. We do not know whether it was opened in the course of some countess, at some moment when bandits lorded it over the roads or in some Carlist war. The fact of being right beside the path must have made this security measure necessary.

It was possibly inhabited until the beginning of the 20th century. Lately it has been used as a fold for livestock.

History

Known since time immemorial. Archaeological finds have been made with a chronology spanning from the end of the Upper Palaeolithic to the Neolithic.

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Bibliography

  1. Aymamí i Domingo, Gener. (2006).-Coves Fortificades de Catalunya pp:1-35. UEC.
  2. Aymamí, G; Valles, J de; Ferreres, J. (2020).- "Coves de la Jaia, del Mas de n'Arques i la Covassa (Margalef)" La Portadora, Revista d'Estudis Socials i Humanístics del Priorat núm. (4):159-166.
  1. Borràs, J.; Miñarro, JM.; Talavera, F. - (1984).- Catàleg espeleològic de Catalunya. Vol. 7: 283 pp. Ed. Políglota. Barcelona.
  • Totes les dades, topografia i fotografies han estat extretes del blog: cavitatsdecatalunya.blogspot (de Jordi de Valles). Apunt del 22-5-2021. Dades: G. Aymamí, J. Ferreres i J. de Valles (Espeleo Club Muntanyenc Barcelonès).

Source: Espeleoindex (espeleoindex.com), modified. CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/