The excavation of Talaiot 4 of Son Forners brings to light a unique structure full of questions

MontuïriJust as it has been 51 years since the first excavations that changed the archaeological history of Montuïri, and beyond the town of the Pla, forever (as Vicenç Lull explained in this interview), the Son Forners site is back in the news. This September, the team of archaeologists from the Son Fornés Archaeological Museum has focused their efforts on the enclosure located just behind the estate houses. A site, halfway between the Sabor talaiots and the large talaiots already known on the estate. There, what was initially known as the "new" talaiot has begun to reveal its best-kept secrets. For the moment, neither large stones, nor round.

The tasks of this campaign have uncovered a square talaiot with very unique characteristics. Built with rather small-sized stones, the building shows evidence of having been renovated inside at a later time. This remodeling reduced the space of the central chamber, which is organized around the classic central stone column; in this case, the pillar consists of only two stones.

One of the most interesting details is explained in a very graphic way by archaeologist Bea Palomar, who says about the construction technique used: "if today the talaiot could be lifted stone by stone, we would see how the rock on which it rests was excavated in a stepped manner. The very blocks of stone that were hewn and extracted from the bedrock served, subsequently, to raise the walls of the same structure".

Regarding the exact function of this space, the site maintains its mystery for the moment. Little archaeological material has been extracted from the interior, a scarcity that makes researchers cautious when determining what specific use was given to it. These remains, pending detailed analysis, should shed light in the coming weeks.

This year's campaign also has the added value of the participation of Vicenç Lull, one of the key names in the research at Son Forners since its inception. More than half a century after the first incisions in the terrain, the site demonstrates that it still has many pages of our prehistory to write.