In the province of Andalusia, archaeologists have documented a unique discovery—a megalithic tomb over five thousand years old. Excavations took place near the city of Teba, where specialists from the University of Cádiz, led by Eduardo Vijande Vila and Juan Jesús Cantillo, studied an ancient dolmen.
The discovered structure is an elongated stone building approximately 12 meters long. It was completely covered with massive slabs, and an artificial mound of sand and small stones was heaped on top. Such architecture is characteristic of burial structures from the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, confirming the importance of this find for studying the prehistoric cultures of the region.
Inside the dolmen, archaeologists uncovered several small burials with remains of human skeletons. In addition to the bones, they found sea shells, ivory objects, arrowheads, and a halberd—a weapon combining the features of a spear and an axe. These artifacts point to complex rituals and a high level of craftsmanship among the ancient inhabitants.
Particular attention was drawn to the sea shells found in the burials. Despite the site’s distance from the coast, their presence indicates extensive trade and cultural connections between inland areas and maritime communities. According to the researchers, such finds underscore the role of the sea as a symbol of status and an important element in the lives of ancient societies.
Work at this site has been ongoing for several years, but only now has it been possible to fully uncover the dolmen’s structure and contents. The discovery in Teba adds to our understanding of the spread of megalithic monuments on the Iberian Peninsula and offers a new perspective on the development of ancient civilizations in Spain.
