The Dolmen de Santa Cruz is located in the Vega de Contranquil, at the confluence of the Güeña and Sella rivers in the Spanish town of Cangas de Onís. Dating from approximately 3000 BC, the megalithic structure sits beneath the church of Santa Cruz, situated on an artificial mound that allows the chamber to be seen.
The chamber reaches over three metres in height and was constructed using sand and river cobbles from nearby waters. It features a polygonal shape with an entrance oriented toward the east. Inside, the structure contains five large slabs. The largest of these is a rectangular headstone, standing 2.25 metres tall and featuring detailed carvings. The remaining slabs are smaller and less decorated than the headstone.
The interior of the chamber is adorned with engravings and drawings where red pigment predominates over black. The decorations include pitted patterns and incised lines. The arrangement ensures that the profusely ornamented headstone serves as the central scene when viewed from the eastern opening. During excavations at the site, archaeologists also discovered an axe made of fibrolite.
The site, which includes both the dolmen and the church of Santa Cruz, was declared a Spanish historical-artistic monument in 1931. It remains a significant archaeological site preserved for public view.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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