Tholos de Montelirio
Tholos de Montelirio is an archaeological site in Seville Province, Spain, at Valencina de la Concepción. It is a megalithic construction dated to 3,000–2,800 BC. The site was discovered in 1868, but has been abandoned for decades.[1] Its excavation was resumed in 1980 due to the urban growth of Seville.[1] Tholos de Montelirio is closed to the general public, but its objects can be viewed in the Archeological Museum of Seville.[1]
Site[edit]
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The site is a megalithic construction dated to around 3000–2800 BC and composed of an open-air "corridor" about 40 meters long leading to two underground chambers that were supported during the site's construction by wooden pillars.[1] Among the artifacts is dagger with a blade made of rock crystal and an ivory handle decorated with 90 perforated discoid beads made of nacre.[2] The main chamber contains human bodies and was covered with a red patina of cinnabar and decorated with sun motifs.[1] The research by the University of Seville determined that during the winter solstice the sun was beaming for a few minutes through the entrance corridor, illuminating the funeral chamber and hitting a stele that represented the mother goddess.[1] A Bayesian model based on 22 radiocarbon dates on human bone suggested that the use of Tholos de Montelirio started in 2875–2700 BC and ended in 2805–2635 BC.[2]
All human remains at the site were found to contain "very high levels" of mercury. This is believed to be either due to their continuous exposure to mercury-containing cinnabar or because their skin was painted with mercury.[1] Additionally, evidence of osteoarthritis was found in bones, which, considering the 40-year average life expectancy in the Copper Age, may indicate that those humans either walked a lot or were dancers.[1]
Ivory Lady[edit]
In 2008 the skeleton of a high-ranking individual buried in the site's tomb was discovered and was thought to be a man. Because of surrounding ivory artifacts, the skeleton has been dubbed the Ivory Man. However, in 2021 it was announced that, based on the analysis of sex-specific amelogenin peptide in tooth enamel, the skeleton is that of a woman. The corresponding results were published in 2023 by Nature and a new name for the skeleton, the Ivory Lady, was proposed.[2]