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Wednesday, 8 October 2025

4153) Did You Know Series (121): The Dolmen of Guadalperal, often referred to as the "Spanish Stonehenge," is a megalithic monument located in Extremadura, Spain, dating back to around 5000 BC:

4153) Did You Know Series (121): The Dolmen of Guadalperal, often referred to as the "Spanish Stonehenge," is a megalithic monument located in Extremadura, Spain, dating back to around 5000 BC:

In the hills of Andalusia, a remarkable discovery has emerged: a tomb more than five millennia old.

Archaeologists from the University of Cádiz have unearthed a prehistoric structure—a dolmen—across multiple excavation seasons, revealing not only its architectural form but also a wealth of artefacts that shed light on how the ancient European ancestors lived.



The Dolmen of Guadalperal, often referred to as the "Spanish Stonehenge," is a megalithic monument located in Extremadura, Spain, dating back to around 5000 BC.

 The Dolmen of Guadalperal is situated in Peraleda de la Mata, within the Valdecañas Reservoir in the region of Campo Arañuelo, eastern Extremadura, Spain. It is sometimes submerged, becoming visible only during periods of low water levels.

This ancient monument consists of approximately 150 granite stones arranged in a circular formation, creating an oval chamber about 5 meters in diameter. The structure features a long access corridor leading to the chamber, and it is believed to have served as a burial site or a place for rituals.

Historical Significance: 

The Dolmen of Guadalperal is estimated to be over 7,000 years old, making it older than the famous Stonehenge in England.

It was first excavated in the 1920s by German archaeologist Hugo Obermaier, and it has been a subject of interest due to its architectural features and the artifacts found in the vicinity.

Due to severe drought conditions in recent years, the dolmen has re-emerged from the waters of the Valdecañas Reservoir, allowing archaeologists to study it more closely. This has sparked renewed interest in the site and its historical context.

The dolmen is part of a broader tradition of megalithic structures found throughout Europe, and it provides valuable insights into the prehistoric communities that built it

The carvings on some stones, including a menhir with engravings that may represent the Tagus River, suggest that the site had significant cultural and possibly ritualistic importance.

The Dolmen of Guadalperal, often dubbed the "Spanish Stonehenge," is a remarkable testament to ancient engineering and cultural practices in prehistoric Spain. 

The Dolmen of Guadalperal, often referred to as the "Spanish Stonehenge," is a megalithic monument located in Extremadura, Spain, dating back to around 5000 BC.

It is a remarkable testament to ancient engineering and cultural practices in prehistoric Spain. Its recent exposure has opened new avenues for research and appreciation of this ancient monument, highlighting its importance in the study of megalithic structures across Europe.

Unlike many fragmented relics of the past, this dolmen remains remarkably intact. Its chamber stretches roughly 13 metres in length, flanked by stone walls nearly two metres tall, and capped with a manmade mound of soil and stones above. 

Inside, researchers found a carefully curated assemblage of objects: arrowheads, seashells, amber, and ivory. What is surprising about the artefacts is that ivory and marine shells, for instance, are not native to inland Andalusia. 

Their presence suggests robust exchange networks linking settlements; University of Cádiz prehistory scholar Juan Jesús Cantillo told ArkeoNews: “These finds show that Late Prehistoric communities in the Iberian interior were far from isolated. They participated in extensive trade routes that linked coastal and inland areas, circulating goods, ideas and cultural values.”

Eduardo Vijande Vila, the project’s co-director, said in a statement that “the true potential of this structure lies in its extraordinary state of preservation, which will allow us to gain a detailed understanding of the lifestyles and beliefs of these communities”.  

The fascination with Andalusia’s newly unearthed dolmen is a result of another find elsewhere in Spain.






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