Protonaveta
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A Protonaveta, according to some authors, is a triple-walled tomb, while according to others, it is a collective funerary structure built using Cyclopean technique (the use of large stones arranged in courses), of funerary nature and exclusive to the island of Menorca. It has a circular floor plan and up to three concentric stone walls, filled in with smaller stones, which together form a single wall. They were built at the end of the Chalcolithic period and were used until the end of the Bronze Age or the Pre-Talayotic Period of Menorca. Although they bear a strong resemblance to the navetas (burial chambers), they do not belong to the same chronological period.[1]
Structures prior to the protonavetas or triple-walled tombs
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The evolution of prehistoric funerary structures in Menorca is not linear, but both earlier and later buildings than the protonavetas have been documented. Thus, preceding the protonavetas or triple-walled tombs are the megalithic tombs, also known as dolmens. These are funerary structures built with large slabs, featuring a rectangular funerary chamber accessed via a corridor, which is entered through a pierced slab placed in the façade.[2] According to Lluís Plantalamor, it has been observed that the megalithic tombs are concentrated in a small area of Menorca's geography, specifically between the San Clemente (Mahón) area and the southeast of Alayor. It has also been noted that they are often located on hillsides.[3] Anthropologists, through the study of skeletal remains, have documented that these were collective burial buildings, meaning people were buried without distinction of sex or age. The most well-known megalithic tombs are Ses Roques Llises, Montplè, and Alcaidús.[4][5]
Protonavetas or triple-walled tombs
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The protonavetas, or triple-walled tombs, were first documented in the early 21st century at the archaeological sites of Son Olivaret and Ses Arenes de Baix. All of them are organized around a central oval-shaped chamber, which is surrounded by three concentric rows of large stones. These would have served to support the earthen mound that covered the structure.
However, there are structural differences between the tombs of Son Olivaret and Ses Arenes de Baix. For example, in the Son Olivaret tomb, specifically in the apse, a vertically positioned stone was documented—something that was not found in the Ses Arenes de Baix tomb. Nevertheless, it cannot be definitively said that it never existed there, as archaeologists have documented the absence of certain architectural elements. There are also differences in the entrance structures.
The protonavetas share architectural features with the megalithic tombs of Binidalinet and Montplè, but especially with those of Alcaidús and Ses Roques Llises. Still, a key distinction lies in the shape of the chamber and the entrance corridor.[4][5] Additionally, in the cases of Son Olivaret and Ses Arenes de Baix, no perforated slab has been documented. Chronologically, these structures were used between 1700 and 1300 BCE, coinciding with the end of the use of dolmens.[6]
The skeletal remains from both sites were studied by physical anthropologists. Their research determined that these were collective-use funerary structures, meaning more than one individual was buried in them. Specifically, at the Son Olivaret site, it was established that at least 30 individuals were buried during the Pre-Talayotic period, including adults, children, juveniles, and even infants.[4][7][8]
Structures later than the protonavetas or triple-walled tombs
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Whether or not the internal evolution followed the models previously described, archaeologists have been able to document that the funerary structure that chronologically follows the protonavetas or triple-walled tombs is the circular-plan navetas, also known as intermediate-type navetas.[9] These structures also resemble megalithic tombs and protonavetas, but are characterized by having a rectangular chamber and an entrance corridor with a perforated slabseparating the chamber from the corridor. The key difference from the previously mentioned structures lies in the fact that, in these buildings, the earthen moundof the megalithic tomb is replaced by a stone covering, which makes the evolution toward burial navetas more plausible. Some examples of this type of structure include: Biniac-Argentina East and West,[10] Torrellisar Vell, Torralbet, and Cotaina.[11]
Plantalamor was able to document that the circular or intermediate-type navetas were located in a very specific area of Menorca—to the north of the megalithic tombs. In other words, all circular-plan navetas are found near the road from Mahón to Alayor, and from San Clemente to Cala'n Porter and Alayor, with the exception of Torrellisar Vell, which is located slightly further west.[12]
Talayotic Menorca: UNESCO World Heritage
[edit][editar] Talayotic Menorca is a site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. It consists of a series of archaeological sites that testify to an exceptional prehistoric island culture, characterized by unique cyclopean architecture. The island preserves exclusive monuments such as funerary navetas, circular houses, taula sanctuaries, and talayots, all of which remain in full harmony with the Menorcan landscape and its connection to the sky.
Menorca has one of the richest archaeological landscapes in the world, shaped by generations that have preserved the Talayotic legacy. It has the highest density of prehistoric sites per square meter on any island and serves as a symbol of its insular identity.
This area is divided into nine zones covering archaeological sites and associated landscapes, with a chronology ranging from the emergence of cyclopean construction around 1600 BCE to the Romanization in 123 BCE. The exceptional value of its monuments and landscapes led to its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023.
References
[edit]- ^ Gornés, S. Sociedad y cambio en Menorca: sistematización de los contextos arqueológicos de las navetas funerarias entre 1400 y 850 CAL ANE (Tesi), 2016. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2016
- ^ Sintes, Elena. Guia Menorca talaiòtica. La prehistòria de l'illa.. Menorca: Triangle Postals, 2015. ISBN 978-84-8478-6040-5.
- ^ Plantalamor, LUIS. La arquitectura prehistórica y protohistórica de Menorca y su marco cultural. Ladrillo: Trabajos del Museo de Menorca 12, 1991 ↑ Jump up to:a b c
- ^ a b c Plantalamor, Villalonga, Marqués, Lluís, Sílvia i Josep. Monument funerari de Son Olivaret. Menorca: Govern de les Illes Balears. Conselleria d'Educació i Cultura, 2008
- ^ a b Plantalamor, Marqués, Lluís, Josep. El sepulcre d'Alcaidús. El megalitisme de Menorca en el context de la Mediterrània occidental. Menorca: Govern de les Illes Balears. Conselleria d'Educació i Cultura, 2003.
- ^ Sintes, E. Guia Menorca Talaiòtica. La prehistòria de l'illa (en català). Triangle Books, 2015.
- ^ Plantalamor, Marqués, Lluís, Josep. El sepulcre d'Alcaidús. El megalitisme de Menorca en el context de la Mediterrània occidental. Menorca: Govern de les Illes Balears. Conselleria d'Educació i Cultura, 2003
- ^ Sintes, Elena «Aproximació a l'estudi de les societats pasades a partir de les restes òssies humanes. El cas de la pobalció inhumada a l'estructura funerària de ses Arenes de Baix (Ciutadella de Menorca).». Revista de Menorca, Tom 90, Vol II, 2007
- ^ Flaquer Fabregas, J «Navetas de tipo intermedio». Revista de Menorca, XI, 1916.
- ^ Santa Olalla, J. (1924). La Naveta Occidental de Biniac. Revista de Menorca
- ^ Flaquer Fabregues, J «La naveta de Cotaina». Revista de Menorca Tom V, 1910.
- ^ Plantalamor, Ll. (1991). L'arquitectura prehistrica i protohistrica de Menorca i el seu marc cultural. Treballs del Museu de Menorca, 12