Mysteries in archaeology, #45. In the Caucasus mountains at Abkhazia, in the foothills along the coast of the Black Sea and close to winter olympics centre of Sochi, about 3,000 megalithic monuments are scattered across the landscape. These socalled ’dolmens’ are believed to have been constructed 2,700-1,400 BC estimated from pottery, bronze tools, gold and silver items found beside them, but very little is in fact known about their actual time of construction. Although few human remains have been found inside, archaeologists believe they may have been burial tombs. While many such monuments are known throughout the world, especially in Korea and Europe, common to all is the mystery surrounding their original use. Theories include portholes used as ’spirit holes’ for sacred purposes, astronomy or as light-boxes such as Newgrange and Carrowkeel in Ireland. The dolmens of Caucasus are particularly noteworthy by their precisely cut stone blocks, shaped into 90 degree angles to fit into corners or curved to make a perfect circle. The floor plans are square, trapezoidal, rectangular or round. In front of the dolmen is a small court, outlined by stone walls. The rectangular stones all have round holes drilled into their facade, just large enough to accommodate a human being. Typically, the entrance to the dolmen is always at the south side, and stone plugs, some phallic-shaped, were probably used to block the porthole. A common decoration is a lintel held up by two columns above the porthole, but other designs such as pairs of breasts, zigzags, triangles and circles have also been observed. On some stones, even Asian-like petroglyphs appear. Unusual items associated with dolmens are big round stone balls and animal sculptures. Most of the old dolmens are five-part closed stone boxes. Later, proportions changed and trough-shaped and monolith dolmens hollowed out of living rock appeared, and by 1,400 BC, many dolmens began to be used for burials or as bone depositories until they simply stopped building them. According to legend, giants built these stones houses for a people of dwarves. What began as peaceful coexistence eventually developed into a war that wiped out both civilizations, their history and many of the dolmen themselves. Considering the peculiar size and weight of the constructions, however, the stories are not without merit.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 20:13:36 +0000
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