Choosing the site, getting the stones, building the dolmens: local sourcing of andesites at the El Pozuelo megalithic complex (Huelva, Spain)

A geoarchaeological study of the El Pozuelo dolmens in Spain's Antequera Dolmens Site reveals that local andesites were strategically selected based on their material, visual, and symbolic properties for megalith construction during the Late Neolithic. The research, combining archaeological and geological analyses, identified distinct andesite lithotypes—including foliated, sheared, massive, and amphibole-phyric varieties—and traced their provenance to quarries within 50–350 meters of the site. Foliated andesite, prized for its physical properties, dominated due to its suitability for extraction and transformation into megalithic supports. Additional materials like white quartz, ferruginous agglomerate, and gabbro were also utilized for specific architectural purposes. The study underscores the significance of locally available rocks in shaping site selection, raw material procurement, and monument construction, offering new insights into Neolithic engineering and resource management.

Linares-Catela, J. A., Donaire Romero, T., Mora Molina, C., & Cáceres Puro, L. M. (2023). Choosing the site, getting the stones, building the dolmens: local sourcing of andesites at the El Pozuelo megalithic complex (Huelva, Spain). Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 15(7). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-023-01799-0