Tholos de Montelirio is anarchaeological site inSeville Province, Spain, atValencina de la Concepción. It is amegalithic construction dated to 3,000–2,800 BC. The site was discovered in 1868, but has been abandoned for decades.[1] Its excavation was resumed in 1980 due to the urban growth ofSeville.[1] Tholos de Montelirio is closed to the general public, but its objects can be viewed in theArcheological Museum of Seville.[1]
.jpg)
The site is amegalithic construction dated to around 3000–2800 BC and composed of an open-air "corridor" about 40 meters long leading to two underground chambers that were supported during the site's construction by wooden pillars.[1] Among theartifacts is a dagger with a blade made ofrock crystal and an ivory handle decorated with 90 perforated discoid beads made ofnacre.[2] The main chamber contains human bodies and was covered with a red patina ofcinnabar and decorated with sun motifs.[1] The research by theUniversity of Seville determined that during thewinter solstice the sun was beaming for a few minutes through the entrance corridor, illuminating the funeral chamber and hitting a stele that represented themother goddess.[1] ABayesian model based on 22radiocarbon dates on human bone suggested that the use of Tholos de Montelirio started in 2875–2700 BC and ended in 2805–2635 BC.[2]
All human remains at the site were found to contain "very high levels" ofmercury. This is believed to be either due to their continuous exposure to mercury-containing cinnabar or because their skin was painted with mercury.[1] Additionally, evidence ofosteoarthritis was found in bones, which, considering the 40-yearaverage life expectancy in theCopper Age, may indicate that those humans either walked a lot or were dancers.[1]
In 2008 the skeleton of a high-ranking individual buried in the site's tomb was discovered and was thought to be a man. Because of surroundingivory artifacts, the skeleton has been dubbed the Ivory Man. However, in 2021 it was announced that, based on the analysis of sex-specificamelogenin peptide intooth enamel, the skeleton is that of a woman. The corresponding results were published in 2023 byNature and a new name for the skeleton, the Ivory Lady, was proposed.[2]
