This island, that forms part of the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands, has an exceptional heritage, reflected in its 1,574 archaeological sites inventoried on its 700m2 of surface area.
There is no other place in the Mediterranean Sea with more archaeological finds per square kilometer than in Menorca. This island has been classified as an open-air museum by many over the centuries, and it is true that there are no many places in the world where prehistory is experienced with such intensity as here. From the first ancestral people, through the Naviform people, the Talayotic ones, the Carthaginian, Roman, Vandals, and many others, Menorca has many stories to tell, and they all begin with this prehistoric settlements.
Menorca or Minorca (from Latin: Insula Minor, lit. 'smaller island', later Minorica) is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Mallorca. Its capital is Mahón (Catalan: Maó), situated on the island's eastern end, although Menorca is not a province and forms a political union with the other islands in the archipelago.
The island is known for its collection of megalithic stone monuments: navetes, taules and talaiots, which indicate very early prehistoric human activity. Some of the earliest culture on Menorca was influenced by other Mediterranean cultures, including the Greek Minoans of ancient Crete (see also Gymnesian Islands). For example, the use of inverted plastered timber columns at Knossos is thought to have influenced early peoples of Menorca in imitating this practice.
The thousand years of human presence on Menorca have come to be called the pre-Talayotic period. This term encompasses a culture that spans from the Neolithic until the Early Bronze Age, with an economy based on livestock and incipient agriculture. The most visible remains of this period are the megaliths (megalithic gravesites and naveta homes) and hypogea.
The denomination of "Talayotic" is related to one of the most typical elements of this culture, namely buil dings in the form of a tower and known by the island's inhabitants as "TALAYOT". From the 19th century to today, scientific bibliography has used this designation as a generic title for a wide area of insular prehistory. This does not exclude, as will be seen in the next sec tion, that under the heading CTMe (Talayotic Culture of Minorca) different phases or historical periods are presented.
What is the Talayotic Culture?
The Talaiotic Culture or Talaiotic Period is the name used to describe the society that existed on the Gymnesian Islands (the easternmost Balearic Islands) during the Iron Age. Its origins date from the end of the second millennium BC, when the inaccurately named Pre-Talaiotic Culture underwent a crisis and evolved into the Talaiotic Culture.
Up until the end of the 20th century, it was theorized that the Talaiotic Culture arose out of interaction between new peoples from the eastern Mediterranean and local island culture, in the form of an aggressive invasion, or perhaps as a peaceful assimilation. The Talaiotic Culture arose at the same time that the crisis caused by the Sea Peoples was occurring, which had revolutionized societies in this part of the Mediterranean until the 13th century BC. These theories were based mainly on architectonic remains that exist in abundance on Majorca and Menorca. The Talaiotic people were considered a warlike race due to the abundance of talaiots or defensive towers and the existence of walled towns. In addition, the talaiots were similar in many respects to the nuraghes of Sardinia, which lends credence to the theory that the Talaiotic people were of Sardinian origin.
However, archaeological excavations conducted at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries have established that the talaiots were built much later –at the beginning of the first millennium BC, which means that they were not built during the time of the Sea Peoples and the Sardinian nuraghes. In addition, there is more and more proof that what was considered a sudden transition from a Pre-Talaiotic Culture during the Bronze Age to the Talaiotic Culture was actually a slow evolution lasting several centuries, and actually caused by a localized crisis on the Balearic Islands. However, external influences on the Talaiotic Culture cannot be completely discounted, since the existence of bronze alloys on the island (which requires tin, not available on the Balearic Islands) indicates that frequent contacts with the outside world existed.
The very factors that gave rise to the Talaiotic Period spelled its doom. Construction of talaiots ceased, and many of them were destroyed or converted for different uses. The nearby Punic center of Ebusus, present-day Ibiza, increased its commercial influence to include the Gymnesian Islands; this economic extension in effect transformed itself into an actual Punic colonization of the Gymnesian Islands. The Mediterranean subsequently became dominated by the Roman and Carthaginian Empires. The Punic Wars would erupt between these two powers, and the islands of Mallorca and Menorca would be forcibly dragged into what is called the Post-Talaiotic Period (also known as the Balearic Culture or Post-Talaiotic Culture).
List of Archaeological sites in Menorca
It should be pointed out too that Minorca was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1993. The Prehistory of Minorca includes a long chronological period that starts with the arrival of man and ends with the Roman conquest that occurred in 123 B.C. The discovery of the Lithic industry of Binimel. Ià signals a pre-neolithic occupation up to 6000 B.C.. However, scientific data that corroborate the presence of permanent human communities, must be situated between 2500 and 2100 B.C., thanks to radiocarbon dating carried out on the remains from the tombs of Biniai Nou. These were communities between the Chalcolithic and the Initial Bronze, who established themselves in the main ecological niches and the most fertile areas of the island.
This Serial Property, representative of the CTMe, is made up of 25 archaeological sites. These were chosen for a series of reasons, such as their good state of conservation and the carrying out of archaeological research on them, etc. The main reason they were chosen though is because amongst all of the buildings chosen, each one of the architectural elements typical and serialized of the Talayotic Culture were represented, including the precedents.
It should also be highlighted that the idiosyncrasy of each one of them makes them a Serial Property of Outstanding Universal Value. Their characteristics, both in the construction technique used, the cyclopean in dry-stone, without mortar and the resulting form of each one of the Real Estate Assets, give them this characteristic of being megaliths of great Singularity and Uniqueness within World Heritage.
The Serial Property listed, firstly in chronological order and secondly according to their geographic proximity, are the following:
1. Tomb of Ses Roques Llises and the enclosure of Sa Comerma de se Garita
The tomb is a construction with a central chamber de limited by some large orthostats. Access is indicated by an "oradada" stone in its centre. The Sa Comerma enclosure is a monumental building with a patio in front of its façade. It is made up of numerous "Mediterranean" type columns that supported the stone slab roof. Three access doors with lintels have been identified.
2. Naviform settlement of Son Mercer de Baix
A settlement made up of a series of dwelling buil dings known also as "dwelling navetas" because of their floor plan shape. One stands out because of the conservation of its roof, supported by polylythical columns.
3. Hypogeum of Torre del Ram
A funereal hypogeum of an extended ground plan excavated in the rock. Within the interior there are continuous Stone benches around the walls and an access corridor.
4. Necropolis and Coastal Establishment of Cala Morell
A necropolis of artificial caves cut into the cliff walls. One stands out for its façade decorated with classic architectural motifs. On the upper part of the sea cliff there is a settlement of Naviforms, identified as a Coastal Establishment.
5. Navetas of Biniac-l'Argentina
Two funereal buildings of a circular ground plan. These types of buildings were always located away from the settlements. A large number of dead from the community were buried there, together with their belongings.
6. Naveta of Es Tudons
A funereal building with an extended ground plan in the shape of an upturned boat, with two interior cham bers that are accessed via a small door and a narrow corridor.
07. Navetas of Rafal Rubi
Two funeral buildings of an extended ground plan in the shape of upturned boats. They are situated at only 65m. apart, similar to those of Es Tudons.
8. Cave of s'Aigua
A prehistoric cave with an interior lake in which archaeological material has been found, such as cera mics and human remains.
9. Necropolis of Calescoves
This is the most extensive on the island. It is made up of a large quantity of natural caves and funeral hypogeums of different morphologies, all excavated in the walls of the cliffs that make up his cove. It was a necropolis from the 9th century B.C. to the 3rd century B.C. In this same enclosure, a sanctuary was identified that was in use from the 3rd century B.C. Also identified was a coastal establishment made up of walls that close off the promontory. This gave access to the cove, forming a quadrangular enclosure in which interior one finds a well with access steps. This small natural harbor of Calescoves was used for anchorage from the 5th century B.C.
10. Hypostyle Hall of Galliner de Madona
An enclosure covered by five polylythical columns whose function must be associated with storage use.
11. Talayot of Trebalyger
One of the larger talayots of the island. It has an ellip tical ground plan, built on and taking advantage of the height of a rocky promontory.
12. Talayots of Binicodrell
Two talayots, one with a ramp that gives access to a platform that is to be found in the upper part of the talayot.
13. Settlement of Torralba d'en Salort and the Well of Na Patarrá
A talayotic settlement that has an outstanding mo numental talayot as well as a Taula Enclosure with a central pilaster. This is the most monumental "Taula" of the island. Close to the enclosure and within the settlement itself there is a spectacular well known as Na Patarrá. This has a depth of 47 metres and has stairs that reach the aquifer.
14. Settlement of CorniaNou
A talayotic settlement in which a monumental talayot stands out with steps that give access to a platform located at the Crown of this tower and to a collection of semi-detached romos. At some 150 metres from the former, another talayotic type building has been identified. This is really the access point of the sett lement. There is a reinforced door that makes up a spectacular passageway in the interior.
15. Settlement and Naveta of sa Torreta de Tramun tana
This is a settlement made up of a Talayot, houses known as dwelling circles and a taula enclosure. It is one of the few settlements in the northern part of the island in which peaty soil predominates as opposed to calcareous stone. Close to the settlement there is a Naveta, a funeral building, of which only the floor remains.
16. Settlement of Talatí de Dalt
A Talayotic settlement with different structures, such as a monumental Talayot and a Taula Enclosure with an inclined column that is supported on the capital of the central piece. Outstanding is the entrance door to the settlement that is in a part of the face of the walls that can be seen. One can also see the series of hypostyle halls and covered enclosures. Parts of them were excavated and form an almost labyrinthine building complex.
17. Settlement of Torelló
A settlement in which a large Talayot stands out, on whose upper platform is conserved an entrance with lintels and a corridor. Just a few metres from this Talayot is another smaller one. Parts of the settle ments houses were excavated decades ago. They are typical in structure with a central patio and rooms around it, forming an almost circular building.
18. Settlement of Trepucó
A large Talayotic settlement that houses two Tala yots, the smaller of which has a covered chamber in the form of a false dome made roughly by courses. Various dwellings have been investigated, all of them circular. Its spectacular Taula Enclosure stands out, as well as the series of buildings that are close to it.
19. Settlement of Torre d'en Galmés
A large settlement that exceeds 6 hectares, made up of three Talayots located in the central part of the settlement, on the highest point with a great visual command over the coast, a Taula Enclosure and plen ty of dwellings with a circular ground plan, all of which are notably large. They have a central patio, storage silos, covered enclosures (also known as Hypostyle Halls) attached to them and, in certain cases, such as the dwelling known as "Circulo Cartailhac", they have a large open-air area in front of their façades. Here an oven has been indentified, as well as other areas of handicraft activity. In the southern part of the settle ment and at a lower height than that of the central part, a sophisticated water-collection system has been identified, with decanting pans and cisterns excavated into the rock-like wells.
20. Sanctuary of So na Caçana
A settlement made up of 10 buildings that include Ta layots and Taula Enclosures. Three of the latter have been identified and this confers on the archaeological site the status of more than a mere settlement-rather, it is a sacred place, a sanctuary.
21. Settlement of Montefí
A Talayotic settlement with three Talayots, under ground burial caves and an area of silos, stores and channels.
22. Settlement of Son Catlar
A large Talayotic settlement that has outstanding mo numental walls whose perimeter reaches 900 metres in length. Above the walls sentry boxes and square towers have been identified that are semi-detached to the walls. Its Taula Enclosure, Talayots and Dwellings etc., have all been conserved.
23. Settlement of Torre trencada
A Talayotic Settlement that stands out for having wi thin its Taula Enclosure, a Taula with a pilaster leaning on its rear part.
24. Settlement of Torrellafuda
A Talayotic Settlement with a large Talayot, a Taula Enclosure with a monumental central piece and with other such pieces within the same enclosure. Part of the face of the walls are identified and its natural surroundings are especially outstanding.
25. Settlement of Binisafullet
A Talayotic Settlement in which one can see a Talayot and a small Taula Enclosure as well as other dwelling buildings.
