Dolmen de La Pastora — Valencina
Cueva de La Pastora · Valencina tholos Pastora
Chalcolithic to Early Bronze (c.3000–2000 BCE)·Valencina Chalcolithic–Ciempozuelos Bell Beaker·🇪🇸 Andalusia, Seville, Valencina de la Concepción, Cerro de La Pastora, Spain
About
About Dolmen de La Pastora — Valencina
La Pastora (Chalcolithic c.3000–2500 BCE) is the longest tholos corridor in Iberia: a 43.5-m passage + terminal chamber on Cerro de La Pastora, Valencina, built of sandstone and slate slabs with the famous whitewashed chamber of slate lining under 3-m sandstone caps. Excavated by Tubino 1868 and Almagro 1962, it preserves 27 javelin points with flint tip and copper base, gold lamellae and variscite beads, indicating long-distance trade of Ciempozuelos Bell Beaker horizon. Its 43-m length visually dominates the Guadalquivir plain.
Why it mattersLongest Iberian corridor tomb; Ciempozuelos Bell Beaker metal typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whitewashed chamber — solar reflection ritual?
Theories
- 01Warrior elite lineage competing with Matarrubilla single-burial ideology
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.2800 BCE
- Period
- Chalcolithic to Early Bronze (c.3000–2000 BCE)
- Culture
- Valencina Chalcolithic–Ciempozuelos Bell Beaker
- Purpose
- Linear collective tholos with warrior kit
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.2800 BCE
Quarry and erection on La Pastora hill
c.2500–2200 BCE
Ciempozuelos Bell Beaker reuse with copper javelins
1868
F. M. Tubino excavates, publishes first Iberian tholos report
2008
Protective fencing and plaza built; interpretation centre
On the ground
Structures & features
37.4060° N · 6.0750° W · 125 m · 2 mapped features
La Pastora Chamber — Slate Lined Cell
chamber3-m circular chamber lined with imported slate, capped by 3-m sandstone slabs, deposit of 27 javelin points
37.4065° N · 6.0745° WLa Pastora 43-m Corridor
passage43.5-m straight corridor descending to chamber with 29 capstones and slate wall render visible
37.4055° N · 6.0755° W