The megalithic tomb of es Rellotge

The megalithic tomb of es Rellotge

Photo: Michael Merkel / Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 4.0 , resized

Located on a high point in Formentera, this unique megalithic tomb features a combination of architectural elements found nowhere else in the world.

Locals call this place es Rellotge because it resembles a sundial. Situated in the west of Formentera between the urban centers of la Savina and es Pujols, the site sits on a high point overlooking the coast of l'Estany Pudent. It served as a site of religious significance between 2040 and 1600 BC.

The structure features an access corridor, a circular main chamber composed of seven large limestone slabs standing about 2 metres high, and concentric dry stone buttresses. It is unique in the world because no other site combines a chamber, perforated slab, radial stones, and an outer platform into a single structure.

Excavations in the 1970s revealed that eight people were buried here - six men and two women. Most were small, around 1.50 or 1.60 metres tall, though one man stood 1.90 metres. They were found with bone necklaces, small buttons, and small pottery including globular and hemispherical shapes.

Today, the site features radial stones - of which 10 remain from an original 24 - and an outer concentric stone platform. It is managed by the Consell Insular de Formentera.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

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