There have also been other Chalcolithic sites discovered in the vicinity of Rujm el-Hiri, which include a similar but smaller stone structure that has been dated to the Chalcolithic period. Now, with the discovery of the Chalcolithic pin, Freikman theorizes the structure should be dated to an original construction during the Chalcolithic period, and the tumulus was the centerpiece of the ring.įreikman’s theory is supported by the finding of an earlier phase of construction beneath the two later phases that contained the Bronze Age finds. However, a Chalcolithic pin was found in a passageway, which was possibly dropped by the robbers. The tomb would have included jewelry and weapons, but it was looted by tomb robbers. The rings have been dated to the Early Bronze Age based on artifacts found at the site. In 2010, Freikman returned and has suggested the tumulus was built at the same time as the rings and not during the Late Bronze Age (1550–1200 B.C.) as previously thought. However, a reassessment was made when the site was excavated by Yosef Garfinkel and Michael Freikman of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2007.
The dolmen lies over a chamber that connects to a 10-foot (3 m) long access corridor.Īrchaeologists have traditionally dated this site and other ancient settlements nearby to the Early Bronze Age II (3000–2700 BCE) period. At its core is a buried dolmen, or burial monument, which consists of two 5-foot (1.5m) tall stones that support a large horizontal stone. In the center lies the central tumulus, or cairn (tomb), built with smaller stones. All the walls are connected perpendicularly by 36 randomly spaced smaller walls. The stone monument has five concentric circles, the largest being 520 feet (158 m) in diameter, with the four smaller circles’ walls becoming progressively narrower.
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