A giant structure in Andalusia, Spain, known as the Spanish underground Stonehenge.

A structure in Trigueros, Andalusia, known as the ‘underground Stonehenge’.

This dolmen contains many artifacts and stone carvings, which help to understand the beliefs of the ancients.

The mystery of the origin of Neolithic tombs in Europe remains unclear.

The spread of tomb architecture in Europe from the 5th and 4th millennium BC.

From the outside, the Dolmen de Soto has a circular mound with an east-west entrance, leading to a corridor and burial chamber.

Within the Dolmen de Soto, there are carved stone columns and schematic images, which may have been created during construction or use.

Recently, a team of researchers from Portugal, Spain and the UK conducted a comprehensive study of the paintings and engravings on the stones inside the dolmen.

Over 60% of the standing columns in the dolmen contained paintings and engravings, which were analyzed using various techniques such as Raman spectroscopy, providing insights into the Neolithic period and the development of society.

The team found that some of the engravings were created from reusing an old menhir, while others were created after the construction of the dolmen.

The researchers believe that the images may have had different meanings and functions, especially with the use of red dye to enhance and highlight the motifs.

The team is working to determine whether the use of red dye enhanced the effect of the carvings.

The Dolmen de Soto is open to visitors so they can experience this remarkable site freely. The entrance is on the west side of the mound, with a reconstructed gate providing access to the interior. The pᴀssage is approximately 21 metres long, widening from 0.8 metres at the entrance to 3.1 metres at the centre. The chamber is approximately 3.9 metres high and circular in shape. The pᴀssage and chamber are covered with 20 pyramidal stones, which form the roof of the dolmen.