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As you read this story, you will learn the following:
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Archaeologists have discovered a culturally rich ancient tomb in Spain.
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This 5,000-year-old stone tomb in Malaga is an impressive 42 feet long.
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Experts believe the tomb is filled with artifacts that will shed new light on ancient customs.
Researchers have unearthed a 5,000-year-old stone monument tomb in Malaga, Spain, that is an impressive 42 feet long. Even better, it’s incredibly well preserved and jam-packed with artifacts.
“We can talk about one of the most monumental and complete dolmens in the whole of Andalusia [the southernmost autonomous region of Spain]Serafin Becerra, a professor at the University of Cadiz, said in a translated statement from the school. Dolmens refer to the megalithic style structures found at the site.
Project co-director Eduardo Vijande agrees. “The real potential of this building lies in its extraordinary state of conservation, which will allow us to understand in detail the way of life and beliefs of these communities,” he said.
The dolmens are not only long but also complex. The site features upright slabs (defined as upright stones) over six feet high, with multiple internal compartments, each of which has the potential to expand our knowledge of funerary practices throughout the southern Iberian Peninsula in the third millennium BC
Once inside, the researchers discovered several “famous” container rooms containing the bones of the deceased and a range of grave goods – from exotic raw materials such as ivory and amber to seashells and what the team calls “complex flint flakes.” The flint collection includes arrowheads, large blades and an “extraordinary halberd” (a two-handed axe-like weapon).
Over several seasons of excavation, researchers found multiple container chambers, known as ossuaries, suggesting the site may have been a mass burial site.
“The entire dolmen is also covered by a large horizontal stone slab, and on top of this stone slab, there is an ancient tomb. [a human-made mound] Eduarda Vijande Villa, associate professor of prehistory at the University of Cadiz and co-director of the excavations, said: life science.
In addition to providing insight into the types of tools and cultural artifacts used 5,000 years ago, Juan Jesus Cantillo, a professor at the University of Cadiz, said that “the presence of shells in inland areas reflects the importance of the sea as an element of prestige and the existence of long-distance exchange networks.”
The use of dolmens is not limited to the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, but has occurred at different times in history and around the world. In some cases, these sites are more than just graves. Some have important cultural or ceremonial significance, some serve as shelters, and still others serve as key territorial markers delineating land ownership.
Famous dolmens span Europe and Asia, but new discoveries continue to expand our understanding of the practices that created them. Some of the most famous dolmens in Europe include the 7,000-year-old dolmen on the Spanish island of Guadalperal, known as the “Spanish Stonehenge,” which is usually submerged in water but can appear during times of drought, and the 5,000-year-old Arthur’s Stone in England, which consists of nine upright stones and is estimated to weigh 27 tons.
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