Montelirio dolmen
The dolmen of Montelirio is located in Castilleja de Guzmán in the east of the Comarca El Aljarafe , near Seville in Andalusia in Spain .
The dolmen is a large tholos tomb on the highest point over the Guadalquivir River . His corridor, discovered in 1998 during survey work, showed red pigments on the slate of slate on the inner walls. During the later excavation, the pigments were also found on the inner walls of the chamber, as well as on human remains and grave goods. In 2007, archaeologists discovered the remains of a man they believe to be a chief in Montelirio. To their surprise, they found 19 poisoned 20 to 30 year old women who, according to the 14C test , accompanied their leader to the underworld in the early 3rd millennium (between 2900 and 2800 BC).
The excavation area is over 200 square meters. The access to the chambers is about 32.0 meters long (three men were buried there). The large chamber has a diameter of 4.75 meters (the 19 women were buried in it). The smaller chamber behind it has a diameter of 2.7 meters and contained the remains of the man.
The excavations have revealed 113 arrowheads, 17 ivory animal figures and two round altars. The finds also include elements made of gold leaf .
Archaeologists Leonardo García Sanjuán and David W. Wheatley carried out an investigation of the lithic, ceramic and anthropological materials found in 2007 and 2008, which were discovered around the dolmen of Montelirio in 61 burials of the Copper Age . Finds include a carved elephant tooth and a piece of amber that was the handle of a dagger . The square has been declared a Cultural Asset of Special Interest.
In the nearby "Valencina de la Concepción" lies the Dolmen de la Pastora, which was discovered in 1860 .
See also
literature
- Manuel Serrano y Ortega: Guia de los monumentos históricos y artísticos de los pueblos de la provincia de Sevilla. 2006 ISBN 978-84-9862-187-7
Web links
Coordinates: 37 ° 24 '35.3 " N , 6 ° 3' 31.9" W.