Torre d'en Galmés
Encyclopedia
Torre d'en Galmés is a Talayotic
site on the island of Minorca
, between Alaior
and Son Bou, Minorca
. The town developed from the start of the Talayotic era (1400 BC) and expanded until the end of the Roman occupation, after which it was abandoned. Buildings were reoccupied and adapted by Muslim refugees from the Reconquista
(reconquest of Spain
by Christian kingdoms) until the end of the Muslim occupation of the island.
The town was one of the biggest in the Balearic Islands, and its high position overlooked other neighbouring towns.
In addition to the three talayots, there are remains of defensive walls and peripheral houses had fortified outer walls.
, the T-shaped stone monument that presumably represents a religious site. The taula seems to have been intact until the end of Roman times, but the capital (top horizontal stone) is now separated and lies between the entrance door and the large vertical pillar stone. Two stages of construction are evident in the apse
and sides, formed by large surprisingly smooth stones.
were located. One of the excavated houses (house 1) takes advantage of the rocky slope and includes a cave.
In the south of the town, one of the circular buildings features a well preserved "Sala Hipostila" (room of columns), adjacent to the side of the house and with large rocks still across the roof. The columns are of the Mediterranean type, wider at the top than the bottom. It is believed that this room was used as a storeroom and for livestock.
In the Roman period, some houses were modified, with more rectangular shaped interior rooms and smaller stones. Further modifications were made during Muslim occupation.
To clean soil from the water, a filter system was used consisting of concavities filled with stones.
, the Egyptian whose cult spread throughout the Mediterranean.
Talaiot
The talaiots, or talayots, are Bronze Age megaliths on the islands of Minorca and Majorca forming part of the Talaiotic Culture or Talaiotic Period. They date from the late second millennium and early first millennium BC. There are at least 274 of them, in, near, or related to Talaiotic settlements...
site on the island of Minorca
Minorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
, between Alaior
Alaior
Alaior is a municipality on the island of Minorca, in the Balearic Islands, Spain. It is situated 12 km from the capital, Maó...
and Son Bou, Minorca
Son Bou, Minorca
Son Bou is a village in the Alaior region of Minorca, a small island in the Balearics.It is split into three districts: Son Bou , San Jaime and Torre Soli Nou .In all there are four hotels: two in Son Bou, one in San Jaime and one in Torre Soli Nou...
. The town developed from the start of the Talayotic era (1400 BC) and expanded until the end of the Roman occupation, after which it was abandoned. Buildings were reoccupied and adapted by Muslim refugees from the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
(reconquest of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
by Christian kingdoms) until the end of the Muslim occupation of the island.
Situation
The town is situated on a small hill which is steeper on its south side. It has clear views over a large stretch of southern coast (and even to the mountains of Majorca). As the town grew it expanded southwards, and used a remarkably sophisticated water collection system to collect water coming down the hill in cisterns.The town was one of the biggest in the Balearic Islands, and its high position overlooked other neighbouring towns.
Talayots
There are three talayots at Torre d'en Galmés. The top of these stone towers provide the best views over the surrounding countryside, indicating their use as watchtowers. Between the middle and western one is an open space which may have been a public square.In addition to the three talayots, there are remains of defensive walls and peripheral houses had fortified outer walls.
Taula
There is a horseshoe shaped enclosure with a characteristic Minorcan taulaTaula
A taula is a T-shaped stone monument found on the Balearic island of Minorca. Taulas can be up to 3.7 metres high and consist of a vertical pillar with a horizontal stone lying on it...
, the T-shaped stone monument that presumably represents a religious site. The taula seems to have been intact until the end of Roman times, but the capital (top horizontal stone) is now separated and lies between the entrance door and the large vertical pillar stone. Two stages of construction are evident in the apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
and sides, formed by large surprisingly smooth stones.
Houses
The talayotic houses are constructed in the characteristic circular fashion. The outside wall is made of large stones, with radial walls making various rooms, and an open air central patio, where the fireplace and cisternCistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...
were located. One of the excavated houses (house 1) takes advantage of the rocky slope and includes a cave.
In the south of the town, one of the circular buildings features a well preserved "Sala Hipostila" (room of columns), adjacent to the side of the house and with large rocks still across the roof. The columns are of the Mediterranean type, wider at the top than the bottom. It is believed that this room was used as a storeroom and for livestock.
In the Roman period, some houses were modified, with more rectangular shaped interior rooms and smaller stones. Further modifications were made during Muslim occupation.
Water
In the south of the town, there is a well preserved and remarkably sophisticated water conservation system, involving a sequence of underground cisterns connected by channels to store water. At least one cave that had been used as a pre-talayotic funeral chamber (pre 1400 BC) was used to store water.To clean soil from the water, a filter system was used consisting of concavities filled with stones.
Artefacts
Among the artefacts discovered at the site is a small fine figure of ImhotepImhotep
Imhotep , fl. 27th century BC was an Egyptian polymath, who served under the Third Dynasty king Djoser as chancellor to the pharaoh and high priest of the sun god Ra at Heliopolis...
, the Egyptian whose cult spread throughout the Mediterranean.