Necropolis in Spain is forcing rethink of who built Europe's first great tombs
a day ago
- #European Prehistory
- #Megalithic Tombs
- #Archaeology
- Archaeologists discovered Valdelasilla in Toledo, central Spain, a 6,000-year-old necropolis dating to around 4300-4000 BC.
- It is the oldest documented monumental necropolis in interior Iberia, challenging the theory that megalithic tombs started only on coasts.
- The site includes a large circular chamber tomb (6m across) within a ditched enclosure (36m diameter), plus smaller wooden and earthen chambers.
- Remains of at least 46 individuals were found in 11 structures, showing changing burial practices from individual to collective tombs over generations.
- The discovery supports a new theory: megalithism in Europe had multiple origins, with inland areas developing monuments simultaneously with coastal regions.