Prehistoric Complex with More than 500 Standing Stones Found in Spain – RisePEI

One of many largest megalithic complexes in Europe was found in Huelva, Spain. Greater than 500 standing stones had been discovered throughout a land survey for an anticipated avocado plantation.

Situated alongside the Spain-Portugal border, the land on which the stones sit spans roughly 1,500 acres. Earlier than granting a allow to start the avocado plantation, regional authorities requested a survey, which in flip revealed the stones.

There, on the La Torre-La Janera web site, archaeologists discovered numerous sorts of megaliths, together with standing stones, dolmens, mounds, coffin-like stone packing containers referred to as cists, and enclosures, starting from three to 10 toes excessive.

“That is the largest and most numerous assortment of standing stones grouped collectively within the Iberian peninsula,” José Antonio Linares, Huelva College and one of many venture’s co-directors, informed Agence France-Presse Thursday. Linares added that the oldest standing stones on the web site had been seemingly erected throughout the second half of the sixth or fifth millennium B.C.E.

“Standing stones had been the most typical discovering, with 526 of them nonetheless standing or mendacity on the bottom,” the researchers defined in a June article revealed within the Spanish prehistoric archaeology journal Trabajos de Prehistoria.

Some of the hanging traits of the stones, nonetheless, was the variety of their grouping in a single location.

“Discovering alignments [a linear arrangement of upright standing stones along a shared axis] and dolmens [a megalithic tomb comprised of two or more standing stones topped with a large, flat capstone] on one web site is just not quite common. Right here you discover all the pieces all collectively–alignments, cromlechs [a stone circle] and dolmens–and that’s very hanging,” famous Primitiva Bueno, co-director and pre-history professor at Alcalá College, in line with the Guardian.

In line with the researchers, lots of the standing stones had been grouped in 26 alignments and two cromlechs set on hilltops to view the dawn throughout summer time and winter solstices and spring and autumn equinoxes.

Archaeologists plan to proceed excavating the location by way of 2026, as lots of the stones are nonetheless believed to be buried. They plan to open a portion of the location to guests someday between now and subsequent yr.

“Glorious conservation” of the location, in line with Bueno, has been key to understanding the discover.