Bronze Age settlements in Mallorca have yielded almost no human bones despite 2,000 years of occupation. Carbon-14 dating recently pushed back the arrival date to around 2,200 BC, though some official records still cite later dates. Researchers suggest excarnated bones may have been stored separately in caves, potentially mixed with later bones and lost to time, leaving almost no trace in settlement areas.
Absence of bones from 2,000 years of Talayotic settlements remains unexplained
Site mentioned
📍 Mallorca
Key facts
- Bronze Age settlements in Mallorca have yielded no human bones
- Earlier settlements also have no bones
- Carbon-14 dating recently pushed back the arrival date to around 2,200 BC
- Some official documents still mention later dates for island habitation
- Possible explanation: excarnated bones were stored separately in caves, mixed with later bones
- Almost everything from the past is now gone with little evidence remaining
Sources
Ses Paisses, Arta - Mallorcaseemallorca.com
This Bronze-Age talaiotic settlement near Arta is a significant site and a link with Mallorcans of 3,000 years ago. Most impressive of all is ...
Ses Païsses - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
Ses Païsses is a Bronze Age talayotic settlement on the southeastern outskirts of Artà in northeastern Majorca. ... bone, talayotic ceramics and charcoal.
Discover Mallorca's Talayotic culture - Único hotelsunicohotels.com
Mallorca's Talayotic culture is a true historical treasure that provides a temporary window into the way of life of the island's first settlers.
(PDF) Chronology of the S'Hospitalet Vell Naveta Villageresearchgate.net
This study aims to outline a chronology for Balearic Bronze Age villages, based on the case study of S'Hospitalet Vell (Manacor). A wide ...
Tour of the archaeological sites of Mallorca - Hotel Predi Son Jaumellhotelsonjaumell.com
In the east of Mallorca, near Felanitx, we find the site of Closos de Can Gaià. This Bronze Age settlement is known for its navetas, boat ...
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