Tholos de Montelirio
Montelirio Tholos · Seville Tholos
Chalcolithic·Valencina Copper Age / Los Millares horizon·🇪🇸 Andalusia, Seville, Spain
About
About Tholos de Montelirio
Chalcolithic tholos complex at Valencina de la Concepción near Seville, dated c.3000 BCE with 40 m corridor of slate orthostats leading to 4.7 m corbelled chamber with sun-carved slate slabs, containing burials with rich grave goods including 270,000 marine shell beads and ivory. Part of Valencina largest Chalcolithic settlement (400 ha) with metalworking. Associated Matarrubilla tholos with standing stone stele.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Long-distance ivory and cinnabar trade networks
Theories
- 01First social hierarchy in Iberia based on metal and exotica
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. 3000–2800 BCE
- Period
- Chalcolithic
- Culture
- Valencina Copper Age / Los Millares horizon
- Purpose
- Elite tholos burial with ocean-shell regalia
- Abandoned
- c.2300 BCE
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1868, 1980-90 Camara Serrano; Montelirio 2000 García Sanjuán
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c. 3000–2800 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1237 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
37.3833° N · 6.0333° W · 100 m · 2 mapped features
Corridor
corridor40 m slate orthostat corridor leading to chamber
37.3833° N · 6.0333° WSun Slabs
decorated slabSlate slabs with sun and textile impressions
37.3834° N · 6.0332° W