Southwestern Iberia hosts 35,000 megalithic dolmens — the densest concentration in Europe — including the world's oldest dolmen, far predating Stonehenge. These were built when England was still connected to mainland Europe. Nearby caves reveal human habitation stretching back 14,000, 18,000, and 35,000 years, with ship paintings from the Younger Dryas suggesting early knowledge of seafaring and industrial-scale fishing.
Southwestern Iberia holds 35,000 megalithic structures and ancient cave habitation evidence
Site mentioned
📍 Southwestern Iberia megalithic sites
Key facts
- There are 35,000 megalithic dolmen structures in Europe, with the majority concentrated in southwestern Iberia
- The oldest dolmen in the world is in southwestern Iberia, far predating Stonehenge and English megaliths
- These megaliths existed in an epoch predating the English Channel, when England was connected to mainland Europe
- Caves in the area show human habitation with jewelry and tools dating back 14,000, 18,000, and 35,000 years
- Cave paintings of ships date back to the Younger Dryas period, indicating knowledge of shipping and industrial-scale fishing
- The Younger Dryas period featured 1,300 years of severe weather conditions
- The research draws a connection between caves and the evolution of megalithic structures, suggesting survivors of coastline destruction reemerged with engineering knowledge
Sources
Alentejo - Demographicsdatacommons.org
Baixo Alentejo, 1.72, 2022. 2. Alentejo Litoral, 1.66, 2022. 3. Lezíria do Tejo, 1.52, 2022. 4. Alto Alentejo, 1.46, 2022. 5. Alentejo Central, 1.45, 2022.
Explore Alto Alentejo, Portugalmadaboutportugal.com
More than one hundred dolmens, antas and menhirs defy the ravages of time and remain standing. The Parque Megalítico dos Coureleiros (Coureleiros Megalithic ...
Alentejowikitravel.org
A beautiful, mostly agricultural region, remarkable for its wide horizons, filled with soft hills that change color along the year.
The Most Densely Populated Cities in Europeworldatlas.com
Paris is the most densely populated city in Europe with a population density of approximately 54,415 persons per square miles. The French ...
List of European Union cities proper by population densityen.wikipedia.org
The population, population density, and land area for the cities of the European Union listed below are based on the entire city proper,
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