Megalithic Route

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Discover GUADIX

MEGALITHIC

Discover GUADIX

ROUTE

MEGALITHIC

ROUTE

The river Gor valley boasts one of the most important megalithic sites in Europe. During the 3rd millennium BC, there were various settlements of farming and livestock communities in the Gorafe area. When the members of these communities died, they were buried in collective tombs built using large stones, known as dolmens. Of these tombs, which were built on the edges of the river gorge and on small plateaux near the settlements, nearly one hundred and fifty have been preserved.

The creation of the Gorafe Megalithic Park has enabled the restoration of many of these dolmens, which can now be visited on three routes through landscapes of unquestionable beauty.

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DISCOVER GUADIX. 4. Megalithic Route 1ª edition, March 2012 © of the collection: Centro de Iniciativas Turísticas de la Comarca de Guadix © of the current edition: Diputación Provincial de Granada © Text: Antonio López Marcos © Photography: Antonio López Marcos (ALM) IKARUM.COM (IKR) Manuel López López (MLL) Miguel Ángel Poyatos Jiménez (mapoyatos) © Plan of dolmens: Manuel López López (adap. Antonio López Marcos) © Cartography: Antonio López Marcos © Design and layout: DSIGNUM Estudi Gràfic, s.l. (Barcelona) Translation: AXIOMA SERVICIOS TRADUCCIÓN Y CONSULTORÍA, SL ISBN: 978-84-935722-6-6 Depósito legal: GR 1480-2012 Cover photograph: Las Majadillas, dolmen 69 (mapoyatos) Back cover photograph: Hoyas del Conquín, dolmen 134 (ALM)

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Discover GUADIX

MEGALITHIC ROUTE Antonio L贸pez Marcos Jos茅 Manuel G贸mez-Moreno Calera

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ÍNDICE ▇ Introduction

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▇ The natural environment of the river Gor

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▇ Gorafe and the megalithic phenomenon

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▇ The necropolises and settlements on the river Gor

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▇ The funeral ritual

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▇ The Integrated Megalithic Theme Park of Gorafe

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Route 2: Majadillas

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Route 3: Llano de Olivares

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Route 4: Hoyas del Conquín

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▇ The Gorafe Megalithic Interpretation Centre (CIM)

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▇ Bibliography

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Megalithic Route

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R U TA D E L M E G A L I T I S M O Introduction The term “megalithic” was coined in France in the 19th century to refer to a set of very primitive constructions made with large stones (sometimes weighing several tonnes) and lintelled capstones or slab roofs built during much of recent prehistory in large parts of Atlantic Europe and the Western Mediterranean during the 5th millennium BC and until the 2nd millennium BC. The megalithic phenomenon seems to have had various centres of origin, as can be deduced from the chronologies described in research carried out on the Atlantic coasts of Western Europe, from Brittany, the British Isles, Holland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark to the south of the Iberian Peninsula.

Today, several categories of megalithic monuments have been established, associated with collective burial rituals or symbolic and cultural functions.

Menhirs. The etymology of the term derives from the Breton words men (“stone”) and hir (“long”). Menhirs are tall upright stones of various sizes embedded in the ground, typically ranging between one and six meters in height, although some can be almost twelve meters tall. The Grand Menhir Brisé in Locmariaquer (Morbihan, France) deserves special mention due to its imposing dimensions. Today the menhir is broken into four fragments which lie where they fell; when upright, it must have been very impressive both in volume (it weighed around three

hundred tonnes) and height (23.50 m). Menhirs, which are found mainly in France, also exist in other parts of Western Europe, such as Spain, Portugal, northern Italy (menhir statues) and southern Italy (Apulia), Sardinia and Corsica. Although they were not intended for burial purposes, like any tomb their symbolic purpose must not be forgotten, intimately related to death and ancestor worship. The discovery of associated materials such as ceramics has made it possible to date these stone monuments, with most dating from the Middle and Late Neolithic (4th millennium BC), except for some menhirs dating from the Early or Middle Bronze Age (first half of the 2nd millennium BC).

Groups of menhirs: alignments and cromlechs. These date from a broad chronological period between the 4th and 2nd millennia BC. Groups of menhirs arranged in parallel lines are known as alignments and are characteristically found in Brittany, France. The most important alignment is the one at Carnac in Morbihan, extending over around three kilometres and forming between ten and thirteen parallel lines with more than three thousand menhirs. The alignment is currently incomplete because most of the stones have deteriorated severely over time. The numerous menhirs are arranged in three monumental groups: Menec (1,169 menhirs), Kermario (1,099 menhirs) and Kerlescan (594 menhirs). It is unknown whether the Carnac alignments were a complex intended for religious functions or an astronomical observatory similar to Stonehenge.

Megalithic Route

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Sometimes menhirs were arranged in stone circles known as “cromlechs”.

The term also derives from the Breton words crom (“circle”) and lech (“place”). These stone circles were very complex because they were sometimes surrounded by moat-type structures (henges), access paths, porticoes or various concentric monolithic rings. Stonehenge in England is undoubtedly the most famous megalithic monument in the world and the finest example of a cromlech.

Megalithic tombs. Grouped under this heading is the large and wide variety of thousand-year-old tombs that have been preserved across Western Europe. These were different types of funerary structures erected under artificial earth and stone mounds or carved into rock, ranging from simple burial chambers to highly complex constructions with many chambers and passages, with either simple capstones (slab roofs) or complex false domes (tholos).

Megalithic tombs were used extensively from the early 5th to the 2nd millennium BC. There were various types: - Passage tombs, which had a burial chamber and a separate access passage. Most megalithic tombs have this structure.

- Gallery tombs, with no differentiated spaces (hence the name “gallery”).

These chambers sometimes had very large interiors, such as the famous “Cueva de Menga” (Antequera).

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- Dolmen, which refers to a structure formed by a horizontal slab or capstone placed on upright stones and characterised by having a circular, polygonal or quadrangular chamber, sometimes preceded by an entrance passage. The term “dolmen” was first used in the late 18th century and its etymology comes from the words dol (“table”) and men (“stone”), meaning “stone table”.

- Circular tombs or rundgrüber, where the chamber is surrounded by a stone circle.

Temples. These are mainly found in the central Mediterranean (on the islands of Malta and Gozo). These structures were normally not used for burial purposes but rather for worship.

The natural environment of the river Gor Visitors to Gorafe can enjoy the amazing landscape carved out by the river Gor. Fed by waters from the northern slopes of Sierra de Baza, the river has carved a massive canyon 20 km long and up to 200 m deep at the point where it enters the Guadix depression.

The mountains surrounding the Guadix-Baza basin were formed 6 million years ago, during the tectonic collision between the African and European continents. The basin gradually filled with sediments up to the height of the plains bordering the canyon. To the south of Gorafe

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the rivers and streams that flowed down from Sierra de Baza deposited sands and conglomerates that can now be seen embedded in the canyon walls. These waters then entered a marshy plain, depositing yellow clay and silt that now surround the town, before emptying into a lake that occupied the central part of the basin, where marl and white limestone accumulated that can now be seen between the town and spa of Alicún.

Once the basin had filled with sediments, limestone crusts (“caliche”) formed on the surface during a period of dry climate about 50,000 years ago. This crust formed what are now the rocky plains that border the canyon.

Thereafter, a new tributary of the Guadalquivir captured and quickly began to erode all those as yet unconsolidated sediments, resulting in dense gullying (badlands) and engagement of the Lower Guadiana river network. An outstanding example is the Arroyo de Gor canyon, where fluvial incision eroded the limestone from the canyon walls, prompting them to collapse and produce landslides. Many archaeological remains have been found on these collapsed canyon walls.

In spite of the seemingly desolate landscape, the area of Gorafe boasts very rich flora and fauna. The middle and lower sections of the Arroyo de Gor stream are now covered mainly by cereal fields, the plains by almond orchards and the canyon floor by olive groves and orchards. Natural vegetation consists of esparto and

Proposed evolutionary genetic model for the Arroyo de Gor rotational slides. Scale is approximate. [PÉREZ PEÑA, J.V. “Deslizamientos rotacionales cuaternarios inducidos por la erosión fluvial en el arroyo de Gor (cuenca de Guadix, SE de España)”. La cuenca de Guadix-Baza. Estructura, téctónica activa, sismicidad, geomorfología y dataciones existentes (Sanz de Galdeano, C. y Peláez, J.A. eds.). Granada: Universidad, 2007, p. 277].

rosemary, although there are still hollow holm oaks on the plains, sparse holm oaks and Aleppo pines on the slopes of the canyon and groves of riverside poplars and tamarisks.

The rock walls abound with mountain goats and nesting peregrine falcons, common kestrels, golden eagles, Eurasian eagle owls, little owls, choughs, ravens and jackdaws. The slopes and canyon floor are home to Megalithic Route

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Grain fields and oak forests in Llano de Olivares.

foxes, badgers, wild cats, martens, polecats, wild boar and more than a hundred species of birds, including most notably trumpeter finches and black wheatear. The largest European reptiles - the ocellated lizard and the Montpellier snake – can also be found here.

During the Copper Age, the climate was wetter and the soils richer and retained more water since they had not yet endured the dry climate and erosion of the following 4,000 years.

Although humans were responsible for the disappearance of part of the natural vegetation, it still dominated the landscape. Although the steepest and sunniest slopes, especially in the lower part of the valley, were already 12

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ALM

populated by rosemary and esparto combined with Aleppo pines, the hillside shelves, valley bottoms and shady areas were dominated by holm oak groves, gall oaks and Pyrenean oaks, while the plains were lush with poplar, ash and tamarisk forests.

The area also boasted surprising fauna, such as wild horses, encebros (an extinct wild ass) and wild bulls that shared pastures with mountain goats, roe deer, red deer and wild boar. Notable predators included wolves, lynx, brown bears and almost all the small carnivores that inhabit the area today. Bearded vultures, Egyptian vultures, black vultures and griffons took advantage of carrion left by wolves and men, and imperial

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ALM

The Gor river.

eagles preyed on rabbits, which were much more abundant than today.

And the rivers, which were always brimming with water, were home to beavers and otters, as well as catfish and eels making their seasonal migrations.

Gorafe and the megalithic phenomenon One of the most important and extraordinary megalithic sites in all Europe is located in the north of the province of Granada, in the municipalities of Gor and Gorafe.

Along a 20-km stretch of the river Gor, from the Chalcolithic settlement of Angosturas (next to the A-92

motorway viaduct) until the point where the river flows into the river Fardes, a total of 234 dolmens have been located, distributed in ten groups or necropolises, which would have been associated with other settlements along the river course.

During the last century and a half, the dolmens in the river Gor valley have been studied and inventoried by numerous researchers, who have demonstrated the cultural importance of this area during the entire 3rd millennium BC. The first studies were performed by Manuel de Góngora y Martínez, who, in his work entitled Antigüedades Prehistóricas de Andalucía (Prehistoric Antiquities of Andalusia), published in 1868,

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wrote that “past the Alicun and Gorafe baths (...) is a place called Hoyo de las Cuevas del Conquil, due to the numerous [caves] in those parts, and also the large number of dolmens, which locals call Sepulturas de los Gentiles (Graves of the Gentiles)”. This archaeologist carried out excavations at three of these monuments, which he called Dolmen de las Ascensías (“the Ascensías Dolmen”), La sepultura Grande (“the Big Grave”) and Dolmen del llano de Gorafe (“the Dolmen of the Gorafe Plain”), where he unearthed several skulls and the remains of grave goods.

most of the dolmens in the area (the excavations were actually carried out by his foreman and confidant Pedro Flores). In the late 1930s, the Germans Georg and Vera Leisner studied the tombs excavated by Siret. Although many were still relatively well preserved, the couple regretted that “most of the graves on the right bank had been destroyed in the 15 years prior to his [Siret’s] study” and those that remained had survived because they were used as places to hunt partridge. Of the 144 tombs mentioned by the Leisners and excavated by Siret, the German couple were only able to locate 95 dolmens.

Later that same century, the Belgian mining engineer Louis Siret excavated

Two decades later, between 1955 and 1956, Manuel García Sánchez and

«Dolmen de las Ascensías», engraving by Bernardo Rico. GÓNGORA Y MARTÍNEZ, Manuel. Antigüedades prehistóricas de Andalucía. Madrid: C. Moro, 1865, p. 101.

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125 dolmens have been preserved and 37 of the dolmens that exist today can be visited.

The necropolises and settlements on the river Gor

Dolmen 69 in the mid 1930's. LEISNER, George y LEISNER, Vera. Die Megalithgräber der Iberischen Halbinsel. Erster Teil: Der Suden. Römisch-Germanische Forschungen Band 17. Berlín: Walter de Gruyter & CO, 1943, illustration 120, 2.

Jean-Christian Spahni carried out what has so far been the most comprehensive analysis of the megalithic tombs of the river Gor. They excavated and studied a total of 198 megalithic tombs, identifying 40 dolmens that had disappeared at that time.

The results of all these excavations have enabled the use of the river Gor necropolises to be dated to between the Late Neolithic and Early and Middle Bronze Age, i.e. spanning the entire 3rd millennium BC. The dolmens that have survived until today are located on small shelves or terraces in the gorge that have traditionally been used for grazing.

Many of the dolmens that existed in the plains near the canyon have been destroyed, mainly as a result of farming.

Two new tombs were found during the creation of the Gorafe Megalithic Park in 1998, raising the total number of known dolmens to 242, including two dolmens located in a recent inventory. Of all these, about

Archaeological evidence indicates that in the early 3rd millennium BC the lands of Granada came under the strong influence of late-Neolithic rural peasant communities from the Lower Guadalquivir and Culture of Almeria.

The first collective burials consisted of the creation of megalithic complexes on the outskirts of settlements and the aculturalisation of groups that maintained the Neolithic traditions of cave culture. In this context, the river Gor is considered to be the most easterly area of influence of Atlantic megalithic culture, since it was in contact with Los Millares communities that settled in the highlands of Baza and Huéscar. In fact, tombs related to the Los Millares culture include the missing tholoi (circular tombs with false dome roofs produced by rows of upright stones crowned by a large slab or capstone to provide a solid roof) excavated by Siret at the head of the river Gor, near the settlement of Las Angosturas.

Researchers in the middle of last century attributed the scarcity of settlements associated with megalithic funerary architecture to the seminomadic nature of megalithic communities. This thesis was supported by the characteristic dispersion of tombs in relatively sparse necropolises such as those along the river Gor. Today, research in the province of Granada has demonstrated that some megalithic Megalithic Route

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settlements and necropolises were established and maintained from the late Neolithic until the Early and Middle Bronze Age, for example at the sites of Los Castellones (Morelábor) and Cerro de los Castillejos (Montefrío), which were settlements strongly influenced by megalithic groups from the Guadalquivir.

In recent decades, a number of Chalcolithic settlements have been identified along the course of the river Gor, the most important of which are Las Angosturas (Gor) and Hoyas del Conquín (Gorafe). Only the Las Angosturas settlement was excavated but unfortunately the results of this work were never published. In total, four archaeological excavation campaigns were conducted at the Las Angosturas site between 1980 and 1983. The cultural sequence at the settlement spanned the Late Neolithic to the Middle Copper Age, followed by a documented phase during the Bronze Age with individual graves, some consisting of large vessels with grave goods. The chronology of the aforementioned phases has been confirmed by radiocarbon 14 dating (2500 ± 140 BC; 2300 ± 140 BC; and 2030 + 160 BC). The settlement is situated on a rocky outcrop overlooking a bend in the river Gor. This was a small but strategically vital settlement since it controlled access to Sierra de Baza and its mineral resources, which explains its continued occupation. The Copper Age was divided into different stages of construction and destruction of the huts in the settlement. These were Photo previous page: Aerial view of the river Gor valley in the area of Hoyas del Conquín, with Sierra de Baza in the background. (IKR)

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circular stone floor huts with adobe walls covered with roofs made from branches and straw held up by central support. The cultural sequence was completed by an Iberian phase, with signs of Romanisation at the end of this period.

In contrast, the different necropolises have been completely excavated at one time or another. They are located on the edge and on small terraces in the gorge, normally associated with old paths.

Architecturally speaking, the Gorafe dolmen complex is characterised by the variety and monumental nature of certain constructions. The dolmens were built using slabs of limestone or conglomerate from the local area.

Construction began with the chamber back stone. This indicates that the dolmen was built up from the back of the chamber and ended, once the passage had been built, with the placement of the capstone or covering slab. The last step consisted in covering the construction with earth to form an artificial mound. The most important external morphological feature discovered to date, apart from the passages, have been the stone rings around the perimeter of the original earth mound. Other interesting discoveries include the existence of a pre-tomb (around dolmen) filled with pebbles and medium-sized stones in between the upright slabs. The chamber floor was often paved and on other occasions formed by the underlying bedrock. As regards the entrance from the passage to the chamber, sometimes there was an oval-shaped or rectangular entrance arch carved in the stone. Most

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dolmens faced south-southeast, normally arranged from east to south, evidently facing in the direction in which the sun rises over the western foothills of Sierra de Baza. The false dome technique (stone walls tapering towards the centre) was not common in this area although Siret described six stone graves and another constructed using a combination of techniques but with a pillar in the chamber, although these have never been located.

Following research conducted by M. García Sánchez and J.-C. Spanhi, the territorial arrangement of the groups and their subgroups was established as follows: I. Baños de Alicún group (dolmens 1 to 12). This is the northernmost group, near the point where the river Gor flows into the river Fardes. The group is formed by twelve dolmens divided into three subgroups: Loma de la Raja, Llano de la Ermita and Haza del Toril. Ten of the original twelve have been preserved, while dolmens 1 and 2 have disappeared.

II. La Sabina group (dolmens 13 to 63). This group is formed by fifty-one dolmens about five kilometres southeast of the Baños de Alicún group. These are divided into three subgroups: Llano de Sabina, Cuesta de la Sabina and Los Castellones. The latter two subgroups are separated by the watercourse known as Rambla de Llamas. Twenty-six (26) tombs in this group have been preserved.

III. Las Majadillas group (dolmens 64 to 86). This is the densest group of megalithic tombs in the entire area,

with twenty-three dolmen tombs at two separate locations: Cuesta de Guadix and Majadillas (Megalithic Park Route 2). These are trapezoidal dolmens with entrances formed by arches carved in the rock. The passages of some tombs are covered by capstones. One tomb – Majadillas 84 - contains the largest number of graves (22 individual graves). Only graves 64, 75 and 80 have disappeared.

IV. Llano de la Cuesta de Guadix group (dolmens 87 to 100). The archaeological site consists of fourteen graves of which only one has disappeared. The lack or scarcity of archaeological material, i.e. personal decorative items, and the simple small-sized polygonal-shaped dolmens without passages suggest some degree of archaism, although this may be due to the violation of some dolmens. The oldest dolmens date from the transition from the Late Neolithic to the Early Copper Age (2500-2300 BC).

V. Llano de Olivares group (dolmens 101 to 123). This group consists of an alignment of twenty-three dolmens distributed over four kilometres on the right edge of the valley, starting at the town of Gorafe. Twelve dolmens have been conserved and incorporated, together with dolmen 240 (located in 1998), in the Llano de Olivares route within the Gorafe Megalithic Park.

VI. Hoyas del Conquín group (dolmens 124 to 143). This group is located in the centre of the valley, on both sides of the river, in an area known as Hoyas del Conquín: on the left bank is the subgroup of Umbría del Conquín; and on the right, on two Megalithic Route

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intermediate terraces, the Upper and Lower Hoyas del ConquĂ­n subgroups, which belong to Route 4 of the Megalithic Park, together with dolmen 239, located during the 1998 excavation campaign. This group has been documented as having the largest capstone (dolmen 134): the chamber pillars are perfectly adjacent to one another, always decreasing in height from the back of the chamber (where the maximum height is 2.20 m) to the entrance. The strong influence of Los Millares culture is evident, coinciding with its heyday in the Middle and Late Copper Age (2400-1800 BC). Of all the dolmens in this group, only dolmen 136 has disappeared.

VII. Llano del Cerrillo de las Liebres group (dolmens 144 to 166). This group was formed by 23 dolmens spread over a very large area. Some graves evidence the influence of the Los Millares culture, developing during its period of greatest splendour and exhibiting signs of cultural fusion. It also contains many late graves, some of which continued in use until Argaric times.

Of the 23 graves inventoried in 19556, only 12 have been preserved.

VIII. La Gabiarra group (dolmens 167 to 181). This group consists of a total of 15 dolmens. Typologically, they could be classified as dolmens with polygonal chambers measuring about 0.75 m in length. The influence of Los Millares culture may be observed in some tombs, but there are also later dolmens, some of which Photo previous page: Majadillas: dolmen 69 with the town of Gorafe in the background. (mapoyatos)

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continued in use until Argaric times, as revealed by the discovery of ceramic remains. Today, only dolmen 170 has been preserved. All the other dolmens were mechanically disassembled in the late 1970s to encourage farming.

IX. Llano de Carrascosa group (dolmens 182 to 189). This is a megalithic necropolis formed by eight dolmens near the edge of the plain overlooking the right bank of the river Gor, opposite the Gabiarra group and then the Llano de Olivares group, and spread over an area of 5 km until the nearby hamlet of Cenascuras. Today only three of these tombs have been preserved.

X. Torrecilla group (dolmens 190 to 192). This megalithic group includes two dolmens, one polygonal and the other rectangular, built from large stone slabs. The mounds have been almost completely destroyed in both cases. There are two other structures that could be dolmens, covered by stones from hunting posts. Small pottery fragments were discovered alongside these structures.

The funeral ritual The funeral ritual practiced by these megalithic communities remains unknown, but some data allow us to reconstruct the burial process used by these people, albeit in simple form.

Before the death of a member of the community, the body of the deceased underwent an initial purification

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and preparation ritual, after which a delegation transported the corpse to the family dolmen. Once there, they would remove the elements used to seal the entrance to the interior.

Various elements, namely upright stone slabs or solid-stone walls, were normally used to seal tombs and provide greater protection from animals and other phenomena. Once inside, they moved the bones from other burials to make room for the new deceased. Various utensils were placed next to the corpse depending on whether the deceased was a male or female, adult or adolescent. These objects, which accompanied the deceased on his or her journey to another world, are called grave goods.

These objects and their combination have enabled the tombs to be

chronologically dated and thus determine the time when each dolmen was used by each community.

Late-Neolithic dolmens were small and their architecture simple. The grave goods normally consisted of stem bracelets, polished stone axes and microliths but no metal elements.

In the Middle Copper Age, the process of social differentiation reflected the economic transformations that took place in the community. Social power, as evidenced by the care employed in the construction of these tombs, was complemented by a greater relative wealth of grave goods, accompanied by elements that clearly reveal the influences of communities from Almeria or Portugal. These dolmens were large in size.

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Dolmen 186, known as “La Sepultura Grande�.

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THE INTEGRATED MEGALITHIC THEME PARK OF GORAFE

The Integrated Megalithic Theme Park of Gorafe was created with two specific objectives in mind: to enhance the historic heritage of the river Gor, characterised by the largest concentration of megalithic tombs in Andalusia; and to foster the rational exploitation of endogenous resources in one of the most economically depressed areas of the province. This action arose from the combined efforts of various administrations that joined forces in a common endeavour for the future, with the participation of Gorafe Town Council, the Rural Development Group (RDG) of Guadix, Granada Provincial

Council and the Provincial Delegation of Culture of the Andalusian Regional Government in Granada.

The maps on pages [26-29] show the distribution of the dolmens that still exist today as numbered by García Sánchez and Spanhi, together with the three routes in the Gorafe Megalithic Park (total length: 6,860 m) and where a total of 37 dolmens can be visited. The routes have rest areas and information points providing information on geology, ecology and megalithic communities. Routes 3 (Llano de Olivares) and 4 (Hoyas del Conquín) also have parking areas.

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Llano de Olivares: panoramic view of the belvedere.

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R U TA Route 2: Majadillas

Opposite the town of Gorafe on the small plateau beneath the edge of the valley lies the densest concentration of dolmen cemeteries of all those known in the river Gor area. Of the twenty dolmens identified, fourteen can be visited along a stretch of 2,150 m starting at the GR-6100 road, at the exit from the village next to the old washing-place. This is the most difficult route because it starts at the town and continues along paths and trails that climb up to the majadillas (flat hillside terraces).

The first group formed by three dolmens is located on the first plateau area, known as Majadilla de la

Cuesta del Almial. Dolmen 65 is perched on a mound next to the recreation area. Local shepherds call it “La Cobertera” because it was used as a shelter during bad weather. Its large size (3.40 m long x 1.90 m wide; preserved height: 1.55 m) and the fact that part of its capstone has been preserved make it one of the most striking dolmens in the park.

It is trapezoidal in shape with a southeast-facing entrance. Inside, Luis Siret discovered two arrowheads, one flint microlith, a bone awl fragment and one copper awl. García Sánchez and Spahni found several flint fragments and the human remains of an adult and a child.

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Majadillas: aerial view of dolmen 65.

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Majadillas: plan of dolmen 65 (according to M. L贸pez).

Forty meters north of this tomb, and also on a small hill, is dolmen 66. This pentagonal dolmen has a wide, open entrance and long passage (1.60 x

Majadillas: dolmen 67.

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1.65 m; preserved height: 1.25 m).

Excavation work conducted by Luis Siret unearthed two polished axes, ten arrowheads and the fragments of two flint knives, part of a bone awl, one phalanx idol and fragments of a ceramic vessel. Siret discovered various human remains but did not identify them.

Dolmen 67 is especially interesting because it is recessed to a much lower level compared with its original position due to erosion of the underlying clay. To reach this dolmen, leave the main path to the left about 45 m and walk several metres down some steps. The dolmen was known

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to both Siret and the Leisners, and excavation work carried out by García Sánchez and Spahni unearthed fragments of two vessels and human remains. Many grave goods were recovered during the 1998 excavation campaign, when the site was being adapted for visitors. These items included one bone, stone, shell and metal beaded necklace, fifteen arrowheads of different types, one bone idol, one ring and two bracelets, as well as numerous human remains.

Majadillas: dolmen 67. Beaded necklace recovered during excavation work in 1998.

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The next stop on this route is at Majadilla del Puntal del Cuervo, almost four hundred metres to the southeast. This spot can be reached along a track bordering an area of almond forests and ravines with beautiful views of the town of Gorafe and the crags located in the background with the impressive Islamic caves of Los Algarbes carved in the centre of the cliff face. Here, along an almost circular path (750 m in length), visitors can discover eleven graves, the most interesting being 69 and 77.

Dolmen 68 is a small, pentagonal tomb (1.65 x 1.20 m; preserved height: 1.30 m) excavated by Luis Siret in the late nineteenth century. Inside the tomb, Siret found one flint knife, one pin and one bone awl fragment, as well as the remains of two vessels.

Dolmen 69 is the largest dolmen in this hillside area. It is trapezoidal in shape (4.40 x 2.70 m; preserved height: 1.60 m). Inside, Siret discovered the fragment of a copper axe, pottery items and unidentified human remains. García Sánchez and Spahni found fragments of four vessels and some human bones.

Dolmen 70 is located five meters south of dolmen 69. It is a pentagonal dolmen (2.50 x 1.80 m; preserved height: 1.30 m) with a short passage and splayed entrance with a hemispherical front on both sides of the entrance. Inside this dolmen, Siret found twenty tombs together with four polished axes, sixteen arrowheads, eleven flint knives, six idols (one stone, one limestone and four phalanx idols), as well as the remains of five vessels.

The construction of dolmen 71 began in the Early Cooper Age, although some elements discovered among the grave goods were of Neolithic tradition. The dolmen was used until the Late Copper Age. It has a short, heptagonal passage with a well-defined chamber (2.05 x 1.50 m; preserved height: 1.40 m). Siret discovered twentyfour arrowheads, one knife and three flint microliths, forty-three phalanx idols, one copper awl, part of a ceramic vessel and the remains of twenty human skeletons.

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Majadillas: dolmen 71.

Dolmen 72 is located on the edge of this hillside area. It has been severely damaged by erosion and some slabs

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have fallen into the nearby ravine.

From the interior, Siret is known to have recovered one arrowhead, three knives, one copper ring and part of a vessel but no human remains.

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Dolmen 73 is located ten meters from the dolmen 72. It is small and has a heptagonal base (1.90 x 1.60 m; preserved height: 1.30 m). Inside, Siret found three arrowheads, part of a flint knife and a bowl, along with several unidentified human remains.

Majadillas: plan of dolmen 71 (according to M. L贸pez).

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Majadillas: dolmen 73.

Dolmen 74 is a hexagonal tomb (2.00 x 1.40 m; preserved height: 1.80 m). During excavation work, Siret unearthed human remains and four arrowheads.

Dolmen 76 is only a few meters southeast of dolmen 74. This is a polygonal-shaped tomb (1.60 x 1.25 m; preserved height: 1.50 m). During the 1950s, the remains of three individuals and two flint arrowheads were discovered inside this dolmen.

Dolmen 77 is quadrangular in shape (0.95 x 1.00 m; preserved height: 1.10

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m). While the site was being adapted for visitors in 1998, one of the fallen chamber limestone slabs was lifted and an engraving was discovered on the underside of the slab.

The engraving represents an anthropomorphic feathered figure holding a cane or bow in its right hand. Water has eroded the relief, preventing the identification of other signs. Based on other ethnographic parallels, the excavators speculated that the figure could have represented an important member of the tribe, perhaps an individual with spiritual powers.

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Majadillas: dolmen 76.

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Majadillas: dolmen 77.

Dolmen 78 is perched atop a small mound. It has a pentagonal chamber and a short passage, which is wider at the entrance (1.60 x 1.50 m; preserved height: 1.10 m). It is the dolmen with the most southernfacing entrance of all those at the site; it was more common for entrances to face in an east-southeast direction. Siret discovered fragments of two polished axes, four arrowheads and two flint knives, the remains of two bone awls, one shell, part of a vessel and some unidentified human remains. In addition to this wide array of grave goods, GarcĂ­a SĂĄnchez y Spahni later also unearthed three flint arrowheads, one sandstone plaque with incisions, a shell fragment and some human remains.

A small path leads to the final dolmen on this route, dolmen 79, which is located on the other side of the ravine.

In spite of its small size, since only three chamber slabs are still upright, it is worth visiting for the magnificent view of the valley.

Majadillas: stele discovered during the re-excavation of dolmen 77.

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Baños de Alicún Dolmen 102 Dolmen 240

Dolmen 103

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R U TA Route 3: Llano de Olivares

This route is the gateway to the Megalithic Park from the A92N motorway. The route starts northwards from the parking area, which covers almost 1,200 m² and also serves as a rest area with an information point on the park and its routes. The total distance is 3,610 m, running along the edge of the right bank of the canyon where the river Gor is ensconced. There are thirteen dolmens to visit on this route. The first section boasts spectacular views over the river ravine showcasing the area’s unique geology.

The first dolmen visitors will come to after leaving the parking area is the pentagonal-shaped dolmen 118 (1.65 x 1.50 m; preserved height: 0.95 m) located on the left side of the road.

The next dolmens on this route are dolmen number 117, which is also pentagonal in shape (1.95 x 1.50 m; preserved height: 1.00 m), and the rectangular-shaped dolmen 116 (1.80 x 1.25 m; preserved height: 1.10 m).

Inside the latter, Siret discovered two arrowheads and the fragment of a flint knife fragment, two stem-shaped elements, one copper awl, part of a vessel and the human remains of ten individuals.

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The highest concentration of tombs on this route can be found in the area around the belvedere, where there are five dolmens:

0.90 m). Part of the passage has been destroyed. García Sánchez and Spahni only found fragments of human bones but no associated grave goods.

- Dolmen 112 is rectangular in shape (1.60 x 1.110 m; preserved height: 1.00 m). Inside, Siret recovered one polished axe, one polished stone, eleven arrowheads and fragments of two flint knives and ceramic remains. The unearthed human remains were extremely fragmented and neither the sex nor the age of the individuals could be identified.

Llano de Olivares: dolmen 112.

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- Dolmen 111 is pentagonal in shape (2.20 m long) but is missing two orthostats. The Leisners identified this dolmen but did not report any excavated materials.

- Dolmen 113 is pentagonal in shape (1.80 x 1.70 m; preserved height:

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Llano de Olivares: dolmen 111.

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- Dolmen 110 is quadrangular in shape (1.40 x 1.60 m; preserved height: 1.10 m). Inside, Siret found one shell (patella) and unidentified human remains. The Leisners mentioned this dolmen but did not provide any information on it.

- Dolmen 109 is pentagonal in shape (1.60 x 1.45 m; preserved height: 0.95 m). The Leisners mentioned this dolmen but did not provide any information on it. García Sánchez and Spahni only found some human remains during their excavations.

- Lastly, dolmen 108 is a small pentagonal dolmen (1.40 x 1.15 m; preserved height: 0.95 m) missing one chamber orthostat. Inside, Siret

Llano de Olivares: dolmen 110.

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found two pendants and human remains identified as belonging to eight individuals. The Leisners mentioned the existence of this dolmen but did not provide any additional information on it.

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Llano de Olivares: dolmen 109.

Llano de Olivares. Plan of dolmen 110 (according to M. López).

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Dolmen 106 is 1,785 m north of dolmen 108. This quadrangular tomb (length 1.50 m and preserved height 0.60 m) is missing one lateral chamber orthostat. Dolmen 103, 887 m north of the former, is almost completely

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destroyed. García Sánchez and Spahni only found some human remains inside this dolmen. It seems that neither Siret nor the Leisners knew of its existence.

Llano de Olivares: dolmen 103.

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The last dolmen that can be visited on this route is the rectangularshaped dolmen 102 (2.00 x 1.15 m;

Llano de Olivares: dolmen 102.

preserved height: 1.10 m), where Siret discovered, among other items, three arrowheads, two flint knives and fragments of a vessel. The human remains were not identified.

García Sánchez and Spahni unearthed more grave goods during their excavations, specifically two flint arrowheads with concave bases, five fragments of stem-shaped clasps, possibly from a necklace, the remains of two ceramic vessels and the human remains of ten adults and three children.

At the end of this route, visitors have two options: they can either retrace their steps back to the parking area or continue down an old mule track 1,640 m to the town of Gorafe at the bottom of the valley.

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Dolmen 239

Dolmen 132 Dolmen 133

Dolmen 134

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R U TA Route 4: Hoyas del Conquín

Although various settlements existed along the course of the river Gor during the Copper Age (c. 3200-2100 BC), one of the most important was the Hoyas del Conquín settlement, which was built on the edge of a raised terrace forty meters above the right bank of the river. This position made it easily defendable and allowed great visibility of the surrounding area. As was normal at the time, the settlement had a surrounding wall made from stone and adobe to protect the circular huts, huddled together within the walls, with their stone foundations and mud and straw walls and roofs.

Opposite the village, perched atop a promontory across the river, was a lookout fortress to control areas not visible from the village.

Two cemeteries have been found near the settlement on small terrace or shelf under the edge of the Altiplano (high plains), one on either side of the river, with a total of twenty dolmens. Currently only ten of these tombs can be visited on a short route divided into two sections.

Hoyas del Conquín Alto. This route has a total length of 430 m (to the end of the route and back; there is no

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Hoyas del Conquín. Schoolchildren visiting dolmen 134.

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place to abandon the route so visitors have to retrace their steps). This subgroup includes dolmens 132, 133, 134 and 239. Dolmen 239 was discovered in 1998 when the routes were being conditioned for inclusion in the Megalithic Park.

At the parking area next to the GR6100 provincial road is a small stone that was once used for threshing and other farming activities associated with cereal crops. Dolmen 135, which stands at the foot of the threshing stone, is small and pentagonal in shape (1.50 x 1.00 m; preserved height: 1.00 m). The most interesting item found in this dolmen was a fragment from the base of an Argaric vessel, indicating that these funeral customs persisted in later periods. The human remains of eight individuals were also discovered at this dolmen.

Hoyas del Conquín Alto: dolmen 134.

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Hoyas del Conquín Alto: dolmen 135.

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The route continues along a path up to the majadilla or flat shelf area or hillside terrace. Climb up the path until the first intersection and then turn right. Dolmen 134 is located on the highest topographic point of this shelf. It is one of the most spectacular dolmens in the necropolises associated with the Hoyas del Conquín settlement. This large, trapezoidal-shaped megalithic

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Hoyas del Conquín Alto: dolmen 133.

tomb (3.85 m long, 2.60 m wide and 2.20 m in height) is interesting because its construction must have been a grand undertaking given the size of the stone blocks and the fact that it was excavated from a limestone outcrop. In 1868, this dolmen was studied and described by M. Góngora, who called it the Dolmen de las Ascensías. At that time, the dolmen was used to store hay. Góngora discovered a human skull inside the dolmen but subsequent excavation work yielded few more materials: the fragment of a bone awl, the remains of a copper dagger and some fragments of ceramic vessels.

Heading north the trail continues towards the other dolmens on this flat hillside area. The first dolmen is number 133. This pentagonal dolmen has very regular and symmetric components (1.65 x 1.65 m; preserved height: 0.90 m). Excavation work conducted by Siret unearthed some human remains and flint and pottery fragments. García Sánchez and Spahni discovered the human remains of one adult and two children, as well as various cylindrical bone beads and personal objects belonging to one of the individuals.

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Dolmen 239 is at the end of the trail.

When it was located in the 1998 excavation campaign, it had been partially looted. This dolmen has a simple pentagonal passage (1.56 x 1.62 m; preserved height: 1.42 m).

A small, severely fragmented hemispherical bowl was discovered inside this dolmen, together with the

Hoyas del Conquín Alto: dolmen 132.

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To the north and just 20 meters away is dolmen 132. This small pentagonal-shaped dolmen (1.70 x 1.40 m) is unique because it has a very long passage (1.85 x 0.50 m).

Inside, García Sánchez and Spahni excavated human remains belonging to two adults and one shell (cardium).

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Hoyas del Conquín Alto: plan of dolmen 239 (according to M. López).

remains of a second bowl and two arrowheads (one stemmed arrowhead with notches and one diamond-shaped arrowhead).

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Hoyas del Conquín Bajo. The Hoyas del Conquín Bajo path starts on the opposite side of the road and is marked by a wooden balustrade. This route has a total length (there and back) of 769 m. It consists of two terraces related in terms of their relief; the upper terrace on the slope connects the plain and the riverbed, while the lower part is actually a fluvial terrace formed by deposits and alluvium.

The first dolmen on this route is number 137. This is a pentagonal, slightly elongated dolmen (1.60 x 1.30 m; preserved height: 1.35 m). In the interior, Siret discovered some fragments of human bones and pottery.

Hoyas del Conquín Bajo: dolmen 138.

The next dolmen, number 138, is also pentagonal and slightly elongated (1.70 x 1.35 m; preserved height: 1.35 m). Inside, Siret found some human remains and fragments of one polished axe and ceramic vessels.

He also found a shell bead pendant (dentalium).

Dolmen 139 is about 50m further along the path. It was partly destroyed by heavy erosion in the area but excavation work in 1998 restored it to its original form. It is a small pentagonal dolmen. The only items discovered inside were several fragments of human bones. An almost identical description could apply to 140. This is also a small

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Hoyas del Conquín Bajo: dolmen 140.

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pentagonal dolmen. It was affected by severe erosion in the area but has also been restored to its original form. Only a few fragments of human bones were discovered in the interior.

At the end of a path that runs through almond groves is a spot opposite the mouth of the river where dolmen 141 is located. This is a large trapezoidal dolmen but it has been poorly conserved due to erosion that has damaged the passage. Like dolmen 134, it was excavated from a limestone outcrop. Inside, Siret discovered one polished votive axe, ten arrowheads, eight knives and other flint fragments, two ivory awls, one bone cylinder with carved ornaments, fragments of a copper axe, the remains of five ceramic vessels and some animal bones. He also identified the human remains of eleven individuals.

The most picturesque spot lies at the end of the Hoyas del Conquín Bajo

Hoyas del Conquín Bajo: dolmen 141.

route near dolmen 141, which was erected on a rocky outcrop with stunning views over the river. A resting area at this spot allows visitors to enjoy beautiful panoramic views. This dolmen has a trapezoidal passage with a lintelled entrance (2.20 m x 1.50 m; preserved height: 1.60 m), but it has been poorly preserved due to erosion that has affected the passage. During his excavations, Siret discovered one polished votive axe, ten arrowheads, eight knives and other flint fragments, two ivory awls, one bone cylinder with carved ornaments, fragments of a copper axe, the remains of five ceramic vessels and some animal bones. Among the human remains, he identified eleven individuals. Construction of this dolmen began in the Early Copper Age and it remained in use until the Late Copper Age. Its position in the valley marks the lands that belonged to the area to the south of the settlement at Hoyas del Conquín.

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Panoramic view of the town of Gorafe from Majadillas.

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THE GORAFE MEGALITHIC INTERPRETATION CENTRE (CIM) Granada street, 3. 18890 GORAFE Ph. 958 693 369 / 616 944 605 Guided tours: 11 h / 16 h.

Closed on Monday Groups visit: book in advance

The Gorafe Megalithic Interpretation Centre is located below ground level on a 2,000 m2 plot of municipal land situated in Calle Granada, covered by a mound measuring approximately 50 m in diameter and 10 m in height.

Its privileged topographic position makes it an exceptional viewpoint overlooking the valley and a visual reference to some extent dominating the other buildings in the town.

The design mimics the shape of a megalithic tomb with its chamber (central part) and entrance passage

(containing one exhibition space, the shop and exit from the centre).

The central part consists of a cylindertype structure covered by a square with a belvedere. Galleries emerge from the central cylinder at different heights. These galleries, connected below ground level by an internal spiral-shaped ramp adjacent to the inner cylinder walls and with the exterior on Calle Granada, are the gallery that provides access to the centre, the audio-visual gallery, the stelae gallery and the shop and exit gallery. The centre has a total surface area of 559.98 m2 and five exhibition spaces, with the entrance next to the Gorafe town church and the exit on the lower level of the hill where it has been excavated.

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Gorafe Megalithic Interpretation Centre (CIM).

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Entrance hall. Inside the centre there is a ticket counter and central information point. From here, visitors can download via Bluetooth an application onto their mobile phones with detailed information on the three routes in the Gorafe Megalithic Park.

CIM: exhibition Area 1. Virtual Virtualware 2007 S.A. recreation of the Hoyas del Conquín settlement.

Exhibition Area 1.

Gorafe. Megalithic Centre

Exhibition Area 2.

The memory of the stones

This area shows visitors a 3D film entitled “5,000 years ago...”, which introduces them to the megalithic phenomenon and offers an insight into aspects of life and death in the Gorafe area. This 9-minute film starts with an overhead sequence that starts at the mouth of the river Gor valley, in the area today known as Hoyas del Conquín. This eminently educational film takes visitors on a journey through the different burial areas, the dolmen construction process involving many of the settlers with others performing common domestic tasks or grazing their livestock in the surrounding area, all set in an environment recreated with fauna and flora common in the area 5,000 years ago.

This immersive stereoscopic 3D system allows groups of about 25 visitors to actually discover what it was like to be in the river Gor valley thousands of years ago.

This area is divided into two modules: the first module introduces visitors to the particular features of megalithic structures in the Gorafe area and offers an insight into research carried out in the area by different archaeologists; and the second module explains certain specific aspects of the work of an archaeologist, represented here in the form of an archaeologist’s study dating from the early 20th century.

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CIM: exhibition Area 2. Scenography of ALM an archaeologist’s study from the early 20th century.

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Exhibition Area 3.

The temples of the afterlife

In the centre of the circle marking the lower part of this exhibition area, a hemispherical frame produces a mirror effect to simulate the silhouette of the Globe. This structure is used as a backdrop for the projection of a 10-min presentation. A circular handrail around this structure keeps the visitors at a distance from the structure itself. This enclosed system includes three 15" monitors showing the main areas in which the megalithic phenomenon developed in European prehistory, through archive images.

to zoom in on different spots in the Gorafe area. The system consists of a manual X-Y positioner and a monitor on a large format image showing a large area of Gorafe with different interactive points presenting textual and graphical information on the specific features of the megalithic tombs in the Gorafe area, as well as the landscape, geology, fauna, etc.

Since external individual access is possible, this space has also been designed to hold conferences, audiovisual presentations and public events at the centre. The documentary entitled El megalitismo en Andalucía (“The Megalithic Phenomenon in Andalusia”) provides an introduction to other megalithic sites and monuments in southern Spain.

Exhibition Area 5.

Very modern technology

The final room exhibits replicas of flint tools and describes how these elements were manufactured and used, explaining the main technological advances that took place during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic. This final exhibition area leads to the shop, from where visitors can continue their visit around the unique village of Gorafe.

CIM: central exhibition area during a screening.

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Exhibition Area 4.

Gorafe and the technology

Gorafe and the megalithic valley. Here visitors can use an interactive scanner Megalithic Route

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ENTRANCE

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Gifts and Crafts

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Iglesia Ntra. Sra. de la Anunciaci贸n

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BIBLIOGRAFÍA - AFONSO MARRERO, José Andrés et alii. “Tipología y seriación en el Megalitismo granadino. El caso de Gorafe”. Actas del IV Congreso del Neolítico Peninsular (Alicante, 27 al 30 noviembre 2006), Tomo II. Alicante: Museo Arqueológico y Diputación Provincial, 2008, págs. 64-76.

- AFONSO MARRERO, José Andrés et alii. “Organización territorial en el Valle del Río Gor en la Prehistoria Reciente”. N. F. Bicho (ed.) Simbolismo, Arte e Espaços Sagradas na Pré-historia de Península Ibérica. Actas do IV Congresso de Arqueologia Peninsular (Faro, 14 a 19 de setembre de 2004). Faro: Universidade do Algarve, 2006, págs. 39-52.

- BOTELLA, Miguel. "Excavaciones arqueológicas en el poblado eneolítico de las Angosturas (Gor)". Boletín de la Diputación Provincial de Granada l. Granada: Diputación Provincial, 1980.

- CASTELLANO GÁMEZ, Miguel et alii. “La promoción social del Patrimonio Histórico. El parque temático integral sobre el megalitismo en Gorafe”. Bibataubín 1. Granada: Diputación Provincial, 1999, págs. 29-40.

- CASTELLANO GÁMEZ, Miguel et alii. “El paisaje megalítico de Gorafe (Granada, España). Parque temático integral sobre el megalitismo en Gorafe (Granada, España). Primera fase de actuación: Majadillas, Llanos de Olivares y Hoyas del Conquín”. Territorios megalíticos del Mediterráneo. Gorafe (Granada, España). Sa Corona Arrùbia (Cagliari, Cerdeña, Italia). Granada: Líder Comarca de Guadix, 2001, págs. 3-68.

- CASTELLANO GÁMEZ, Miguel et alii. "Parque Temático Integral sobre el Megalitismo en Gorafe (Granada, España). Primera fase: Majadillas, Llanos de Olivares y Hoyas del Conquín". Anuario Arqueológico de Andalucía 1999/II. Sevilla: Junta de Andalucía, 2002, págs. 103-120.

- GARCÍA SÁNCHEZ, Manuel y SPAHNI, Jean-Christian. “Sepulcros megalíticos de la región de Gorafe”. Archivo de Prehistoria Levantina VIII. Valencia: Diputación Provincial, 1959, págs. 43-113.

- GARCÍA SÁNCHEZ, Manuel y SPAHNI, Jean-Christian. “Restos humanos eneolíticos procedentes de los dólmenes de Gorafe (Granada)”. Archivo de Prehistoria Levantina IX. Valencia: Diputación Provincial, 1961, págs. 49-78.

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- GARCÍA SANJUÁN, Leonardo y RUIZ GONZÁLEZ, Bartolomé (ed). Las grandes piedras de la Prehistoria. Sitios y paisajes megalíticos de Andalucía. Sevilla: Junta de Andalucía (Consejería de Cultura), 2009.

- GÓNGORA y MARTÍNEZ, Manuel. Antigüedades prehistóricas de Andalucía. Madrid: C. Moro, 1868.

- LEISNER, Georg y LEISNER, Vera. Die Megalihgräber der Iberischen Halbinsel: Erster Teil: Der Suden. Römisch-Germanische Forschungen Band 17. Berlín: Walter de Gruyter & CO 1943.

- LÓPEZ LÓPEZ, Manuel y CASTELLANO GÁMEZ, Miguel. “Evolución del paisaje megalítico en el valle del río Gor”. G. Serreli y D. Vacca (coord.), Aspetti del megalitismo preistorico. Lunamatrona: Operatore Collectivo Leader II Sa Corona Arrùbia, 2001, págs. 71-78.

- LÓPEZ LÓPEZ, Manuel. “El poblamiento megalítico en la comarca de Guadix: Gorafe (Granada, España)”. Péndulo 4. Baza: Asociación cultural Péndulo, 2003, págs. 9-50.

- MANARQUEOTECA. S.L.. “Guía del Parque Temático Integral sobre el Megalitismo en Gorafe (Granada, España)”. Parque Temático sobre el Megalitismo. Gorafe (Granada, España), Sa Corona Arrùbia (Cagliari, Cerdeña, Italia). Guía. Granada: Líder Comarca de Guadix, 2001, págs. 32-135.

- SPANEDDA, Liliana y CÁMARA SERRANO, Juan Antonio. “La organización interna de las necrópolis del Río de Gor (Granada) a partir de la ubicación de sus tumbas”. Munibe Suplemento 32. San Sebastián: Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, 2010, págs. 270-284.

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Discover Guadix

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For tourist information visit: www.guadixymarquesado.com

Megalithic Route

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896.28

Cemetery Calle ri c de Fe

Calle

Arab Castle

o

la

García

Calle

Cas

ca

Lor

Ca ll

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Ca

lle

Fe de ric o

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P Bajo

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ad

Ca

Bajo

Ca

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Calle

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llo

sti

Ca

Calle

rcía Ga

Cañ

a

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Castillo

Water Storage Cisterns

Lorc

Mesón La Ilusión

z

he

nc

Sá

Ca lle

Calle

a

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Ga

Pa

blo

Pa

so

lle

Ca

Town Hall

l

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Gar

Gr

Gorafe Megalithic Interpretation Centre Church of Ntra. Sra. de la Anunciación

Casa Juana Flamenco Hol

an

as

Plaza de la Constitución

Calle

Pic

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Ma

Picasso

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Senior Centre

lle Ca

lle Ca

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che

Sán

Posada Los Guilos

Bar La Juventud Gra

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Publ Bus Stop

Gifts and Crafts

Baños de Alicún

G R -6 10

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Ma

Rou

Eras

G R -6

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Calle

Calle

San

Calle la

Tourist Information

Restaurant

Museum

Cafe/Bar

Belvedere

Post Office

Hotel

Pharmacy

Holiday cave dwelling to rent

Supermarket

Bus

Bank

A-92 N Granada/Murcia

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R U TA D E L M E G A L I T I S M O GORAFE

Algarves’ cave dwellings La Candela’s cave dwelling

896.28

Alto

Alto

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Cuesta Freila

Ca

sti

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Ca

Bajo

Ca

Al

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Park Bajo

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Alham

Alh a

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Calle

Calle

Casa Juana Flamenco Holidays

Calle

874.82

Calle

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l

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Las Tres Fuentes Primary School

Sán

cía

Andalu

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Posada Los Guilos

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Andalucía

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“La Garita” Pataseca’s cave dwelling

Park Sports Field

Public Library

Cultural House

Bus Stop Medical Center

Eras

Calle

Eras

Calle

Calle

Eras 890.46

Pataseca’s cave dwellings Marcos

San

Ca lle

Marcos

n

Sa

la

Sol’s cave dwelling Min

na

a

Mina

El Torriblanco’s cave dwellings la

0

Mi

la

Calle

30

SCALE MAP 1:3.000 60

90

120 m

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Discover GUADIX

MEGALITHIC

Discover GUADIX

ROUTE

MEGALITHIC

ROUTE

The river Gor valley boasts one of the most important megalithic sites in Europe. During the 3rd millennium BC, there were various settlements of farming and livestock communities in the Gorafe area. When the members of these communities died, they were buried in collective tombs built using large stones, known as dolmens. Of these tombs, which were built on the edges of the river gorge and on small plateaux near the settlements, nearly one hundred and fifty have been preserved.

The creation of the Gorafe Megalithic Park has enabled the restoration of many of these dolmens, which can now be visited on three routes through landscapes of unquestionable beauty.

GOBIERNO DE ESPAร A

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