La chabola de la Hechicera facts for kids
La chabola de la Hechicera (which means "The Witch's Hut" in Spanish, or Sorginaren Txabola in Basque) is a very old stone structure called a dolmen. You can find it in Elvillar, a town in Álava, part of the Basque Country in Spain.
A dolmen is like a giant table made of stone. This one has three huge stones standing upright that hold up a very large, flat stone on top. Inside, nine big stones form a chamber, which is a room with many sides. There's also a path or corridor made of five stones, split into two parts. People believe this dolmen was built long ago as a funerary place, meaning it was used to bury important people from the ancient settlement.
Discovery and Exploration
This amazing dolmen was found in 1935 by a person named Álvaro de Gortázar. When it was discovered, it was in pretty good shape.
In 1936, another explorer, Jose Miguel Barandiaran, looked at it more closely. He found some interesting things inside, like two stone tools that were used for striking (like hammers). He also found a polished axe made of a green stone called ophite, pieces of old pottery, and even some human bones.
The big stone on top of the dolmen was broken into three pieces when it was found. But don't worry, it was carefully put back together and placed in its original spot. All the items found during the exploration are now kept safe in a museum in a nearby town called Laguardia, Álava.
Special Celebrations
Every year, before the August festivities, a special party called an Akelarre is held around the dolmen. It's a fun event that brings people together at this historic site.
See also
- Megalithic monument
- Basque Prehistory
In Spanish: Chabola de la Hechicera para niños
