Joanne Oakley
A PETITION to save Spain’s long lost ‘Stonehenge’ has reached almost 50,000 signatures.
The unexpected sight appeared after record temperatures last summer caused water levels to recede in the Valdecañas Reservoir, Extremadura.
Known as the Dolmen of Guadalperal, the megalithic monument consists of more than 100 standing stones with some standing almost two metres tall.
The Junta de Extremadura was set to decide on the future of the historical structure after the discovery.
Residents from the local village, Peraleda de la Mata, have called for the government to move the rocks for preservation and research, with a petition backing this call reaching 44,000 signatures.
The Asociacion Raices de Peraleda group who started the petition, are concerned that the next time the waters recede may be too late to save the find as the granite is already porous and cracking in places.
However, the Spanish ministries of Culture, Sport and Ecological Transition, along with a group from the University of Extremadura disagree with the transportation of the dolmen as damage could likely occur.
There are also efforts to declare the stonehenge as an Asset of Cultural Interest, which would give the site the maximum protection a monument can have in Spain.
After the Romans unearthed the site, German geologist Hugo Obermaier began studying the stones in 1925.
Although they were later submerged again when General Franco built a dam in the area in 1963.
The circular monument is arranged in a 26 metre diameter circle and was likely used as a temple or a burial site around 4,000 to 7,000 years ago.
