What a 5,000-Year-Old Tomb in Malaga Hid: Excavation Results

Spanish researchers have discovered a monumental stone dolmen tomb in the province of Malaga, dating back about 5,000 years and reaching 12 meters in length. Scientists call it one of the best examples of architecture in Andalusia. Inside, human bones, ivory, amber, and flint artifacts were found, including a rare two-handed halberd. The discovery of seashells far from the sea indicates developed long-distance trade networks in the Neolithic era.

Spanish researchers have discovered a monumental stone dolmen tomb in the province of Malaga, dating back about 5,000 years. The total length of the structure reaches twelve meters. Professor Serafin Becerra of the University of Cadiz called the site one of the most monumental and well-preserved dolmens in all of Andalusia. Co-director of the project Eduardo Vijande emphasized that the perfect condition of the monument will allow for a detailed study of the daily life, burial traditions, and worldview of ancient communities from the third millennium BCE. The burial complex consists of vertically placed stone orthostats about two meters high, forming a network of internal chambers. The structure is covered with massive horizontal blocks, topped with an artificial mound. Excavations revealed several isolated ossuary chambers, indicating collective burial. Inside, human bones, ivory, amber, and a collection of flint artifacts were found: arrowheads, massive blades, and a rare two-handed halberd. Seashells found far from the sea, according to Professor Juan Jesus Cantillo, indicate the ocean's role as a symbol of prestige and the existence of developed long-distance trade networks in the Neolithic era.