Cala Sant Vicenç:


ARTIFICIAL CAVES

Cala Sant Vicenç is located in the extreme northwest of Mallorca. While the first Mallorcans still lived in natural caves and under rock overhangs, after 3,000 BC they moved on to building artificial caves like this one. In Cala St Vicenç, however, they are said not to have been living caves, but tombs that were only hewn out of the rock in later times.

(The poor image quality is due to my Sony Mavica camera, which was the most modern in 2002 with 1.3 megapixels.)
 A cave entrance at a comfortable entry height.
A cave entrance at a comfortable entry height.
 
Some entrances are very small.
Some entrances are very small.
 
With their height, the natives got along well here.
With their height, the natives got along well here.
The anteroom before entering the main chamber.
The anteroom before entering the main chamber.
The purpose of the small side chambers is still unclear today.
The purpose of the small side chambers is still unclear today.
 

The hypogeum (pagan catacomb) of Cala Sant Vicenç was already archaeologically investigated in the 19th century. While in 1927 there were still thirteen man-made caves, only eight remain today due to wanton destruction.

Two of the caves have one or two vestibules before opening onto the main room. Bench-like elevations are located on the right and left. The purpose of small lateral chambers is unclear. The caves are widest at the bottom of the floor. Towards the top, the side walls run diagonally towards the middle. This is similar to the navetas, whose shape is reminiscent of boats lying upside down.





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