The 7,500 Year Old Discovery Revealed By A Spanish Drought
Rising temperatures and drought conditions have caused serious problems for human populations all over the world, according to the World Health Organization. Those dramatic changes in landscape brought on by lowering water levels, though, have also led to a number of notable discoveries, as Insider notes. One area particularly affected by drought has been the central Spanish province of Caceres, where water levels in the Valdecanas reservoir have dropped nearly 30%, and as a result, a fascinating site from near pre-history has been recovered, per Reuters.
Though that lack of water has caused a number of serious problems in the country, the archaeological site that reemerged from the water in Spain dates to around 5,000 B.C., as Reuters also notes. The site, which up until recently was submerged, was discovered first in the 1920s, but it was lost when the area was flooded for a reservoir project under Franco's leadership. The chance to study the area once again is a rare opportunity for scientists, according to Madrid's Complutense University archaeologist Enrique Cedillo (via Reuters).
THE SPANISH STONEHENGE WAS UNCOVERED
The archaeological site uncovered by the receding waters of Valdecanas reservoir near the city of Huelva consists of dolmens, or large neolithic stone structures, as well as a number of standing stones similar to England's Stonehenge, according to CNN. For this reason, the area is officially called the Dolmen of Guadalperal, but it's colloquially known as the Spanish Stonehenge. In total there are thousands of stones on the site, spread over some 1,500 acres.
What's also notable about the Iberian complex is that experts estimate there are some 500 stones still standing at the Spanish Stonehenge. According to experts, they were put there at different points in history, beginning as early as 5000 B.C. up through 1000 B.C., as Live Science notes. There are also coffin-shaped structures on the site called cists where researchers believe human remains were buried. Similar sites were also likely used as memorials for the dead, but so far, no human remains have been verified.
Some of the megaliths reach two meters in height.
However, a severe and prolonged drought has seen the structure emerge as the last drops of water vanished from the barren basin. Western Spain is being ravaged by a year-long drought and the Bronze Age structure, thought to be an ancient temple, can now be seen.
Hugo Obermaier, a German priest and amateur archaeologist, first found the site in 1925.
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07 October 2023
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