Hypogeum of Torre del Ram facts for kids
 Location in Spain
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| Location | Ciutadella de Menorca, Menorca, Spain |
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| Coordinates | 40°0′19″N 3°48′33″E / 40.00528°N 3.80917°E |
| History | |
| Founded | 1700—1400 BC |
| Periods | Bronze Age |
The Hypogeum of Torre del Ram is an amazing ancient site found in Cala en Blanes, Ciutadella de Menorca, a town on the island of Menorca in Spain. It's a special kind of Bronze Age tomb called a hypogeum. Think of it as an underground burial chamber.
This hypogeum was used a very long time ago, between 1700 and 1400 BC. It was a shared tomb for a family or a small group of people. Even though it was later emptied and used to keep farm animals, its design is very similar to other ancient tombs on Menorca. This helps experts guess how old it is.
What is a Hypogeum?
A hypogeum is an underground structure, often a tomb or a temple. The word "hypogeum" comes from Greek words meaning "under" and "earth." These structures were usually carved directly into rock.
Exploring the Ancient Tomb
To enter the Hypogeum of Torre del Ram, you walk down a stepped corridor. This pathway leads you into the main chamber. The chamber itself is shaped like a rectangle. Around the inside walls of this room, there's a stone bench.
Part of the stone roof that once covered the corridor and entrance is still there. This roof was built using very large stones, a technique common in ancient times.
The entrance corridor is about 2.60 meters (8.5 feet) long. The main chamber is quite big:
- It's 8.80 meters (29 feet) long.
- It's 2.50 meters (8.2 feet) wide.
- It's 1.95 meters (6.4 feet) high.
Mysterious Wall Engravings
Inside the main chamber, you can see some interesting drawings carved into the walls. These carvings show three sailing ships and other shapes that are harder to identify.
Some experts believe these ship carvings are very important. They think the drawings might be from the Bronze Age, just like the tomb itself. If that's true, they would be some of the oldest ship drawings ever found! However, it's hard to be sure exactly when these carvings were made. They could have been added at a much later time.
Gallery
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Entrance of the hypogeum
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View of the chamber of the hypogeum
See also
In Spanish: Hipogeo de Torre del Ram para niños
