It is one of the largest neolithic standing stones in Europe.
One of the 526 standing stones excavated at the site of La Torre La Llanella near Huelva in southwestern Spain.
Archaeologists unearthed one of the largest neolithic standing stones in Europe near the city of Huelva in southwestern Spain and plan to grow avocados there.
The oldest upright stone – known in many parts of Europe as "menhirs", probably derived from the Celtic word for "stone" – may be 7,500 years old, and the entire building consists of thousands of individual stones spread over 1,500 acres (600 hectares) on either side and top of a small hill.
Some of the largest stones stand alone, but others are placed in formation tombs, mounds, stone circles, fences and linear queues. The diversity of the architectural structure is one of the mysteries of the site.
This pattern, which is not common in the Iberian Peninsula, is truly unique.
The site, known as La Torre-La Janera, was discovered in 2018, but archaeologists have only recently learned the full extent of the Neolithic era.
It now appears that neolithic ruins function as diversely as their construction. Territory, ceremonies, astronomy, funerals... These constitute a huge site from the prehistoric period in southern Iberia. It is a megalithic temple that pays homage, worship and commemorates ancestors long ago.
Megalithic Monument
The landowner, a farmer, wanted to build an avocado plantation near the Portuguese border, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Huelva.
But there are local rumors that monks were standing on the mountain, so it wasn't entirely a surprise when preliminary archaeological surveys in 2018 confirmed that there were several standing stones there. A comprehensive study in 2020 and 2021 revealed the significance of the site.
Neolithic people built the building on a prominent hill not far from the mouth of the Guadiana River and the Atlantic Ocean, and the surrounding territory has good visibility.
Archaeologists believe the site was used for more than 3,000 years during the Neolithic age. These buildings include standing stones, tombs, and stone circles.
So far, archaeologists have found more than 520 erect stones at the site, some of the earliest of which may have been erected as early as the second half of the sixth millennium BC, that is, about 7500 years ago, while the latest Neolithic buildings were built between 3000 and 4000 years ago in the second millennium BC.
Several standing stones form the famous roofed tomb, known as the "sarcophagus", while the other stones form the coffin-shaped structure, known as the "sarcophagus", which archaeologists believe was used to bury the remains of the dead.
But no one's remains have been confirmed at the scene. While such a structure must have contained bone at some point, the bones may not have been preserved in acidic soil.
Neolithic man and megalithic
From Sweden to the Mediterranean, standing stones and other Neolithic monuments – known as "megaliths" from the ancient Greek word "gigantic stone" – spread throughout Europe. Many megalithic sites have also been found in Spain, including in the area around La Torre-La Janera.
Some of the most famous of these, such as Stonehenge, are found in Britain, but larger "megalithic" structures have been found elsewhere – such as in Carnac, in the Brittany region of France, where more than 10,000 men line up.
Archaeologists believe that the earliest stone stele was built in the second half of the sixth millennium BC
The exact age of this megalithic structure is difficult to determine, as the rock itself cannot be reliably dated. But according to the Smithsonian, indirect evidence from other materials buried at the same site suggests that most of them date back to the Neolithic period, about 6,500 years ago — which would make La Torre-La Janera's oldest standing stone older than most.
According to a 2003 study in the Annals of Anthropology, archaeologists suspect that during the Neolithic age, the practice of building giant monuments spread throughout Europe with a continuous wave of settlers who may have come from the Near East, who appeared to assimilate local hunter-gatherer peoples.
Many of the megaliths seem to be associated with certain astronomical events, such as the sunrise in midwinter, and so do many of the megaliths of the La Torre-La Janera complex.
Tombs with roofs, or stone columns, "generally point to two to two points and two equinoxes, but also in arrangements (stone rows) and rings (stone circles) there is also the direction of the sun."
So far, only the surface of the La Torre-Laanella site has been investigated, and archaeologists expect to find more there.
One clue that more stones have yet to be discovered is the "grand preservation" of these buildings, which may help scientists restore information about "the occupation, age, use, and symbolism of these monuments."