The provenance of the stones in the Menga dolmen reveals one of the greatest engineering feats of the Neolithic

A groundbreaking study reveals that the massive stones used to construct the Menga dolmen, Europe's most colossal Neolithic monument (c. 3800-3600 BC), were quarried from a rocky outcrop approximately 1 km away. The research, employing high-resolution geological mapping and petrographic analyses, identifies these stones as calcarenites—poorly cemented sedimentary rocks akin to 'soft stones' in modern engineering. This finding underscores the advanced technological prowess of Neolithic societies, demonstrating their ability to transport and manipulate stones weighing up to 150 tons using innovative wood and stone techniques. The study not only sheds light on the construction methods of this UNESCO-listed monument but also contributes to its preservation by providing precise geological insights.

Rodríguez, J. A. L., Sanjuán, L. G., Álvarez-Valero, A. M., Jiménez-Espejo, F., Arrieta, J. M., Fraile-Nuez, E., Artús, R. M., Cultrone, G., Muñoz-Carballeda, F. A., & Martínez-Sevilla, F. (2023). The provenance of the stones in the Menga dolmen reveals one of the greatest engineering feats of the Neolithic. Scientific Reports, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47423-y