![]() ![]() The Dolmen of Guadalperal (made of approximately 150 orthostats) was a spectacular sight when it re-emerged and attracted several curious visitors and the media, who understood that this was a unique opportunity to visit it. This situation allowed flooded lands to re-appear, and in many cases they were accessible on foot, such as at the Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres). In 2019, the Iberian Peninsula suffered the worst drought in recent decades the lack of rain and the water to feed the rivers meant a clear reduction in water levels at Spanish reservoirs. In 1963, several heritage and archaeological sites, such as the Roman city of Augustóbriga and the protohistoric dolmen of Guadalperal, were completely submerged when a reservoir was built in the area. Figure 1: A view of Guadalperal dolmen (Image credit: Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte de España) In regard to this, Castaño stated, “When we saw it, we were completely thrilled… It felt like we had discovered a megalithic monument ourselves.”įor more water news, check out what water recycling is, products that help you save water, and a drought-related art exhibition. This year is only the fifth time that water levels (which measure at 28 percent capacity) have fallen low enough that the ancient rock formation has become visible. Hoping to capitalize on the public’s current interest in the stones, Raíces de Peralêda has started a petition calling for the government to move the circle to a museum or to dry land as the porous granite stones have begun to crack and fall apart over the half a century they’ve remained underwater. Although no one knows its true origins, historians believe it could have been built to align with the summer solstice as a solar temple as some of the stones feature carvings. Similar to its more famous counterpart, there is a mystery surrounding the origins of the Spanish Stonehenge. It may cost money, but we already have one of the most difficult things to obtain-this incredible historic monument. Primitiva Bueno Ramirez, a specialist in prehistory at the University of Alcalá, stated, “Whatever we do here, needs to be done extremely carefully… We need high-quality studies using the latest archaeological technology. ![]() Because the monument doesn’t resurface often, it’s reasonable that experts are hoping to examine the site. After the addition of the Valdecanas Reservoir, a civil engineering project from 1963, the stones have remained mostly underwater. Up to six feet tall in height, the stones were originally discovered by German archaeologist Hugo Obermaier in 1926. It’s spectacular because you can appreciate the entire complex for the first time in decades.” Angel Castaño, president of Raíces de Peralêda, a local cultural association, stated to Atlas Obscura, “All my life, people had told me about the dolmen… I had seen parts of it peeking out from the water before, but this is the first time I’ve seen it in full. Believed to date back to 5,000 BCE, these sites were commonly used as tombs. Also known as the “Spanish Stonehenge” the site consists of a prehistoric circle of nearly 100 stone megaliths.Ī dolmen is a structure consisting of two or more upright megaliths called menhirs, with a capstone on top. Amidst Europe’s worst drought in the last 500 years, the diminished water levels in rural Spain have revealed a normally submerged monument known as the Dolmen of Guadalperal. ![]()
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