Coastal Settlement El Coll De Cala Morell

The 4300-year-old promontory at Cala Morell in Menorca, Spain, hides an ancient secret. For years it was thought that there was nothing much of interest here, but in 2012 archaeologists from the Museum of Menorca proved the locals wrong. Twelve dwelling navetas, the Bronze Age dwellings typical of the Balearic Islands, were found to be the oldest buildings on the site, which is one of 32 Menorcan prehistoric sites for the Talayotic Menorca nomination to become World Heritage by UNESCO.

The settlement shares many features with Es Castell de Pop Mosquer, another site some kilometers away, and everyone agreed that it was arms-length from the sea. It seems that the ancient inhabitants, who lived here between 1600 and 1200 BC according to radiocarbon dating, did not have much interest in the sea. No marine life or resources were found, despite the settlement being by the sea. Suggested functions for the structures on the site include rainwater collection, cattle grazing and food preparation.

The buildings are enclosed by a protective dry-stone wall, and recent excavations have uncovered signs that the settlement was located on the promontory for defense needs caused by social conflict. Evidence includes large stone slabs and a circular structure at the highest point. The site was mapped by a research team in 1996, and more discoveries continue to be made today.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons