Archaeologists have discovered many tools left behind by prehistoric civilizations. Most of these weapons are made of stone, but in Spain, researchers have discovered incredible weapons made of crystals. The weapons date back to at least 3000 BC and include an incredible crystal dagger that took a lot of skill to carve.
The incredible discovery was made in the Montelirio Tolos megalithic tomb in southwestern Spain. This massive venue is made of large stone slabs and is 143 feet long. It was excavated between 2007 and 2010; five years later, researchers from the University of Granada, the University of Seville and the Spanish Council for Advanced Research published their study of the crystal tool. In addition to the daggers, they also found 25 arrowheads and cores used in making weapons.
According to the study, rock crystals are commonly found in late prehistoric Iberian sites but are rarely studied in depth. To understand what purpose these particular weapons might have served, we must first look at the context in which they were discovered.
The remains of at least 25 people were found in Monterillo Tolos. Previous analysis suggested at least one man and several women died from ingesting poison. The remains of these women sit in a circular pattern in a room.
The tomb also contained numerous burial items, including "a shroud or garment made of tens of thousands of pierced beads and decorated with amber beads," as well as ivory items and fragments of a gold blade. Crystal arrowheads were found in clusters, leading researchers to believe they may have been part of a ritual.
And a dagger! It was found alone in a separate chamber, "combined with an ivory hilt and scabbard." It was approximately 8.5 inches long and similar in shape to other daggers of the time.
Since there are no crystal mines nearby, the materials for these items should come from far away. This contributes to the idea that they belonged to those elite who had the ability to collect such materials and fashion them into weapons. Interestingly, none of the weapons have been attributed to one person, but appear to have been used collectively.
"They may represent funerary objects that were only available to the elite of this period," the researchers wrote. "On the other hand, crystal, as a raw material with special meaning and connotation, has symbolic significance. The literature provides Some social examples where crystal and quartz are used as raw materials to symbolize life force, magical power and connection with ancestors."
Although we cannot be certain of their exact purpose, the discovery and study of these weapons has provided a deeper understanding of Earths prehistoric cultures 5,000 years ago.
