{"id":10798,"date":"2023-12-20T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-20T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/?p=10798"},"modified":"2023-12-06T06:12:54","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T06:12:54","slug":"new-study-reveals-secrets-of-one-of-europes-largest-megalithic-structures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/new-study-reveals-secrets-of-one-of-europes-largest-megalithic-structures\/","title":{"rendered":"New Study Reveals Secrets of One of Europe\u2019s Largest Megalithic Structures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-gray-200-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h1 id=\"at-a-glance\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">At a Glance<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">The Menga dolmen in Spain is an ancient burial mound representing a remarkable engineering feat of the Neolithic period.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">A team of archaeologists, geologists, and historians used new technology to study the composition of the stones used in the dolmen\u2019s construction and explore the methods of transportation and assembly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">The stones were primarily composed of fragile calcarenites, which would have required sophisticated engineering techniques to transport without damage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">The placement of the massive stones, including a 150-ton capstone, involved using scaffolds, ropes, and well-constructed roads.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">The dolmen\u2019s design also included intentional alignment with nearby mountains to create intricate light patterns and interlocking stones to prevent erosion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img  loading=\"lazy\"  decoding=\"async\"  width=\"2288\"  height=\"1712\"  src=\"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-80x60.jpeg\"  alt=\"\"  class=\"wp-image-10799 pk-lqip pk-lazyload\"  data-pk-sizes=\"auto\"  data-ls-sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2288px) 100vw, 2288px\"  data-pk-src=\"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera.jpeg\"  data-pk-srcset=\"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera.jpeg 2288w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-1536x1149.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-2048x1532.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-200x150.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-260x195.jpeg 260w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-380x284.jpeg 380w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-800x599.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-1160x868.jpeg 1160w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-80x60.jpeg 80w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-600x450.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-400x300.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-520x390.jpeg 520w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-760x569.jpeg 760w, https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Dolmen_de_Menga_Antequera-1600x1197.jpeg 1600w\" ><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=3727578\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dolmen de Menga Antequera<\/a>&#8221; by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User:Grez\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Grez<\/a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/?ref=openverse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"\">A groundbreaking study published in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-023-47423-y\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><em>Scientific Reports<\/em><\/a> has shed light on the remarkable engineering prowess of the Neolithic period. A team of archaeologists, geologists, and historians from various institutions in Spain has uncovered fascinating insights about the Menga dolmen, an ancient burial mound near Antequera, M\u00e1laga. Dating back approximately 5,700 years, this megalithic structure stands as one of Europe&#8217;s largest and most impressive architectural achievements of its time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The research team employed cutting-edge technology to delve into the Menga dolmen&#8217;s construction secrets. Their investigation focused on the composition of the stones used in its creation and the methods employed to transport and assemble them. The dolmen was built atop a hill, utilizing massive stones, some weighing over 100 tons. By analyzing the stones&#8217; makeup, the team employed petrographic and stratigraphic analysis techniques, revealing that they were primarily composed of calcarenites, a type of fragile sedimentary rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Transporting such delicate stones without causing damage would have required high engineering sophistication. The researchers concluded that the builders of the Menga dolmen possessed remarkable planning and engineering skills. Notably, the capstone, weighing approximately 150 tons, was carefully positioned as the roof of the burial chamber. The placement of these colossal rocks necessitated the use of scaffolds, ropes, and well-constructed roads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Furthermore, the study uncovered additional intriguing aspects of the dolmen&#8217;s design. The burial ground was intentionally aligned with nearby mountains, creating intricate light patterns within the chamber. Moreover, the early engineers ingeniously interlocked stones at the chamber&#8217;s edges to divert water seepage, preventing erosion and ensuring the monument&#8217;s longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">This research highlights past societies&#8217; technical achievements and provides valuable insights into ancient architecture. By tracing the origin of the stones used in megalithic monuments, we gain a deeper understanding of the capabilities and resourcefulness of our ancestors. The <a href=\"https:\/\/whc.unesco.org\/en\/list\/1501\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Menga dolmen<\/a>, now a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unesco.org\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">UNESCO<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/whc.unesco.org\/en\/list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">World Heritage site<\/a>, is a testament to the ingenuity and skill of the Neolithic people, who harnessed new wood and stone technologies to construct a monument of unprecedented magnitude and complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h1 id=\"references\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">References<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Rodr\u00edguez, J. A. L., Sanju\u00e1n, L. G., \u00c1lvarez-Valero, A. M., Jim\u00e9nez-Espejo, F., Arrieta, J. M., Fraile-Nuez, E., Art\u00fas, R. M., Cultrone, G., Mu\u00f1oz-Carballeda, F. A., &amp; Mart\u00ednez-Sevilla, F. (2023). The provenance of the stones in the Menga dolmen reveals one of the greatest engineering feats of the Neolithic. <em>Scientific Reports<\/em>, <em>13<\/em>(1), 21184. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41598-023-47423-y\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41598-023-47423-y<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Yirka, B. &amp; Phys.org. (2023, December 5). <em>Closer look at the Menga dolmen shows it was one of the greatest engineering feats of the Neolithic<\/em>. Phys.Org; Phys.org. <a href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2023-12-closer-menga-dolmen-greatest-feats.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2023-12-closer-menga-dolmen-greatest-feats.html<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"At a Glance A groundbreaking study published in Scientific Reports has shed light on the remarkable engineering prowess&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":10765,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[229,1169,1170],"class_list":{"0":"post-10798","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-history","8":"tag-archaeology","9":"tag-menga-dolmen","10":"tag-spain","11":"cs-entry","12":"cs-video-wrap"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10798"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10807,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10798\/revisions\/10807"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernsciences.org\/staging\/4414\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}