Dolmen de Viera
Megalithic tomb in Andalusia, Spain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Dolmen de Viera or Dolmen de los Hermanos Viera is a dolmen—a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb—located in Antequera, province of Málaga, Andalusia, Spain.[2] It is located only 70 metres (230 ft) from the Dolmen of Menga[2] and about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Tholos de El Romeral. It was discovered in February 1903 by brothers Antonio and Jose Fuentes from Antequera, who also discovered El Romeral.[3]
| Dolmen de Viera | |
|---|---|
Entrance to the Dolmen de Viera | |
 Interactive map of Dolmen de Viera | |
| Type | Tumulus |
| Location | Antequera, Andalusia, Spain |
| History | |
| Built | c. 3250 BC[1] |
| Site notes | |
| Material | Stone |
| Length | 21 m (69 ft) |
| Discovered | February 1903 by Antonio and Jose Fuentes |
| Owner | Council of Culture, Andalusian Autonomous Government |
| Public access | yes |
Official name | Antequera Dolmens Site |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, iii, iv |
| Designated | 2016 (40th session) |
| Reference no. | 1501 |
Region | Europe and North America |
Description
Like the Dolmen de Menga, it is built with an orthostatic technique: large stones standing upright.[3] It consists of a long corridor[3][4] formed by 27 stones, leading to a rectangular chamber.[3] This is presumed to be a burial chamber, although only silica and bone tools and ceramics were discovered there.[2] The burial chamber has different dimensions than the corridor: a little over 2 metres (79 in) high[3] and 1.8 metres (71 in) wide,[5] while the corridor is 1.85 metres (73 in) high[5] and ranges from 1.3 metres (51 in) wide at the entrance to 1.6 metres (63 in) where it meets up with the chamber.[3] The corridor is a bit over 21 metres (69 ft) long.[3] The stones range from 20 centimetres (7.9 in) to 50 centimetres (20 in) in thickness.[5]
The dolmen is covered by a mound or tumulus 50 metres (160 ft) in diameter.[3] Like most Iberian tombs, it is oriented slightly south of east (96°),[3] situated precisely so that at the summer solstices the sunlight at daybreak illuminates the burial chamber.[6]
The left and right sides of the corridor appear to have consisted originally of sixteen slabs each; fourteen remain on the left and 15 on the right. Five larger slabs are intact in the roof, and there are fragments of two others; it would appear that three or four more have been entirely lost. The end of the corridor is a single large monolith with a square hole near its center. This and three other monoliths surround the chamber[3][7] There is a notable difference between the stones on the sides and those of the roof: the former is much more carefully worked and fit perfectly into the recesses made in the stones of the entrance and the floor.[citation needed]
History
The Dolmen de Viera was built in the Copper Age, 3510-3020 BC approx.[8] It has had the status of a National monument since 1923.[3]
Current status
The site is owned by the Council of Culture of the Andalusian Autonomous Government, who manage it as part of the Conjunto Arqueológico Dólmenes de Antequera.[3] The dolmen was restored recently,[5] and is open for visits by the public.[3]
In 2016, the dolmens of Menga, Viera, and El Romeral were all inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name Antequera Dolmens Site.
