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Archaeologists Discover 5000-Yr-Old Extraordinary Megalithic Stone Tomb Aligned With the Summer Solstice

The human remains inside the tomb show that the tomb had undergone burials over generations—a duration period of more than a thousand years.
PUBLISHED FEB 3, 2025
Poulnabrone Dolmen in Stunning Irish Landscape (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Phil Evenden)
Poulnabrone Dolmen in Stunning Irish Landscape (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Phil Evenden)

According to a new study, archaeologists have discovered an extraordinary megalithic stone tomb in Antequera, near the famous "Rock of the Lovers" in southern Spain, which gives exciting insights into prehistoric burial practices and astronomical alignments, as stated by Cambridge University Press. A find of this importance opens up a dramatic view of how cultured Neolithic people from more than five millennia ago were. The tomb is inserted in the "neck" of La Peña de los Enamorados, a limestone mountain that curiously profiles the outline of a sleeping giant; for its emplacement and building form, there is much more than a place of burial, stated Live Science. Its strategic emplacement and intricate design point toward a deeply symbolic relationship between landscape, celestial events, and human ritual.



 

The most intriguing feature of the tomb is its alignment with the sunrise of the summer solstice. According to researchers, those who constructed the chamber did so to channel sunlight onto a peculiar, specially selected stone with undulating ripple marks, similar to those of the ancient seabed, placed for what one archaeologist, Leonardo García Sanjuán, called a "theatrical" visual effect, stated Live Science.

The human remains inside the tomb show that the tomb had undergone burials over generations—a period of more than a thousand years. This extensive utilization would suggest the strong cultural importance of the site. The presence of several layers of human remains, belonging to three successive phases of burial activity, would imply a dynamic and changing ritual behavior.

Skull and bones of a mummy in Istanbul Archaeological Museum (Representative Image Source: Pexel | Photo by Lokman Sevim)
Skull and bones of a mummy in Istanbul Archaeological Museum (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Lokman Sevim)

Curiously enough, the structure of the tomb resembles several megalithic monuments found across Europe, the most famous being Newgrange in Ireland, stated Cambridge University Press. Both show a refined knowledge of major astronomical events and reflect highly developed concepts related to the memory of deceased individuals. The sun was central in their vision of the world, which represented life and death with the possibility of spiritual change.



 

The landscape around Antequera is filled with some of the most impressive megalithic sites in the world, including the Dolmen of Menga, one of the largest and oldest prehistoric monuments in Europe, stated Live Science. What is specific to this area is the interrelation between natural geological formations and human-made ones. The Peña de los Enamorados, whose anthropomorphic silhouette is clearly perceived at dawn and dusk, would have been an important landmark for early prehistoric groups.

Gray Rock Formation on Green Grass Field Under White Sky (Representative Image Source: Pexel | Photo by Guy Dwelly)
Gray rock formation on a field under (Representative Image Source: Pexel | Photo by Guy Dwelly)

This is manifested from archaeological evidence through things such as stone slabs with incised motifs and the careful selection of rock formations that indicate subtlety in aesthetic and symbolic relation to the environment. The stones within the tomb were selected not solely for functional uses but also for their appearance and possible metaphorical connotations.

The findings also provide insight into the wider southern Spanish prehistoric landscape. Situated at a natural crossroads between various key regions, the site reflects the strategic importance of this geographical area during the Neolithic period. The peculiar shape of the mountain and the exact solar alignment of the tomb bear witness to a sophisticated knowledge of landscape, astronomy, and spiritual practices.

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