The study, published in the journal Science Advances, examined the possible construction process of Dolmen de Menga.
The investigation was conducted using data from high-resolution laser scanning as well as unpublished photographs and diagrams from previous excavations.
The study found that the Neolithic people who built the structure had a “good basic understanding” of physics, geometry, geology and architecture.
Researchers underlined that “special care” was needed to transport the “giant” stones to the site without breaking them, and noted that wooden rails may have been used to transport the stones.
“These people had no blueprints to work from, nor, as far as we know, any previous experience of building something like this. Yet they figured out how to put together huge blocks of stone in a way that kept the monument intact for nearly 6,000 years,” said researcher Leonardo Garcia Sanjuan.
Sanjuan noted that this is not possible “without having at least a basic understanding of science.”
