Early science and colossal stone engineering in Menga, a Neolithic dolmen (Antequera, Spain)

A groundbreaking analysis of the Menga dolmen, one of Europe's oldest and most colossal Neolithic megaliths (3800–3600 BCE), reveals unprecedented engineering sophistication. The 150-ton capstone #5, the largest stone ever moved in Iberia, was part of a uniquely designed structure with no known precedents in the region. Geoarchaeological research—combining stone plane angles, stratigraphic polarity, and foundation depth—demonstrates that Neolithic societies possessed advanced scientific understanding and creative ingenuity, setting Menga apart as a monumental achievement in early stone architecture.

Lozano Rodríguez, J. A., García Sanjuán, L., Jiménez-Espejo, F. J., Álvarez-Valero, A. M., Arrieta, J. M., Fraile-Nuez, E., García-Alix, A., Montero Artus, R., & Martínez-Sevilla, F. (2024). Early science and colossal stone engineering in Menga, a Neolithic dolmen (Antequera, Spain). Science Advances, 10(34). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adp1295