Cristina Hodgson
A NEW megalithic dolmen has been discovered in the municipality of Antequera.
The prehistoric burial chambers in the province of Malaga represent some of the largest and most complete megalithic structures in Europe.
Now, a new, never before identified ancient structure has been discovered.
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The location of this newly discovered monument has not been revealed, so as to ‘preserve the integrity of the site’ as well as avoid ‘possible vandalism’, city council sources said.
The discovery was made public this Monday after experts from the University of Sevilla, led by Professor Leonardo Garcia Sanjuan, located a ‘very old’ structure whilst carrying out research into the Megalithic Complex of Antequera.
It is believed that this monument would have been part of a sacred space for the Neolithic communities in the area before the Menga Dolmen was built.
Further studies are expected to allow a better understanding of the processes that led to the creation of Menga Dolmen, famous for its significant geographical location.
On the summer solstice, June 21, the morning sun shines over the peak of the Peña de los Enamorados and straight along the Menga dolmen’s entrance corridor.
This positioning would have held mystical importance for the prehistoric tribes who built the dolmen thousands of years ago.
The 5000-year-old site, added to the UNESCO World Heritage list on July 15 2016, is described as an ‘outstanding example of megalithic architecture’ and is among the most recognised and quoted in the world.
The Menga Dolmen, considered to be the largest megalithic chamber in Europe, measures nearly 30m long and up to six metres wide and 3.5 metres high.
The largest upright stone weighs 180 tonnes. In comparison, the heaviest stone at Stonehenge weighs 40 tonnes.
