The Chalcolithic settlement of Peñón de las Juntas and the cemetery with tholos-type tombs of Los Milanes (Abla, Almería)

Abstract

Archaeological surveys and the excavation of three tombs have been undertaken during the field seasons carried out in 2023 and 2024 at the Chalcolithic settlement of Peñón de las Juntas and at Los Milanes cemetery. The 2-hectare settlement, situated on a spur at the confluence of the Nacimiento River and Los Santos Gully, is planned into three stone concentric enclosures associated with rectangular and solid towers. A total of 18 tombs have been discovered, aligned at the summit of the Los Milanes hill, which is located in front of the settlement. These tombs exhibit the distinctive architectural features of tholos-type megalithic monuments. Especially noticeable is the use of a dry-stone technique to covering burial chambers, which are accessed through passages divided into equal segments by perforated slabs. A radiocarbon series of nine dates was obtained based on human bone remains. The resulting chronology indicates that funerary rituals occurred throughout the 3rd millennium cal BC, with two peaks of mortuary intensity around 28th and 22nd centuries cal BC © 2025 CSIC