Archaeologists In Spain Excavate 4,500-Year-Old Burial Site

Teba: Archaeologists in southern Spain have completed the excavation of a burial chamber nearly 4,500 years old, believed to be one of the biggest and "one of the best-preserved" prehistoric tombs on the Iberian peninsula.Dolmen 1 at the La Lentejuela site, near the town of Teba, is thought to have been spared from looting due to its not being visible in the surrounding landscape. Serafín Becerra Martin, Co-director of the general research project and director of Teba's Municipal Historical Museum, described the discovery as exceptional, saying, "Dolmen 1 of La Lentejuela is possibly one of the best-preserved dolmens in terms of burial records on the Iberian peninsula."According to Martin, the monumental structure measures over 13 metres long and three metres wide at its head, narrowing to one metre at the entrance.After excavating, archaeologists uncovered a collective ossuary containing the remains of at least a dozen individuals, along with grave goods and artefacts inside. "What we have detected is a collective ossuary from the third millennium, around 2500-2600 BC, in a very good state of preservation with a very interesting bone record", he said.Teba's Mayor Cristobal Miguel Corral Maldonado emphasised the town's commitment to preserving its archaeological heritage. He said, "It is very important to us because it is a town that builds its identity and progress, including economic progress, from the perspective of archaeological research, the study of history and, ultimately, the promotion of its heritage." Safeguarding the site remains a top priority for the archaeologists in southern Spain due to its international impact. "What matters most to us is its enhancement and protection because we know that, ultimately, it is a site that has had an international impact, and that is our concern," Maldonado added.