The extreme drought experienced by Spain this summer has brought to the surface a prehistoric stone circle known as the “Spanish Stonehenge”, according to Reuters and Agerpres.

“Spanish Stonehenge” Photo: Manu Fernandez / AP – The Associated Press / Profimedia

Officially known as the Guadalperal Dolmens but nicknamed the “Spanish Stonehenge,” the circle of dozens of megalithic stones is believed to date back to 5,000 BC in central Cáceres province, where water levels have dropped to 28% of capacity, authorities said.

“It’s a surprise, a rare opportunity to access the monument,” said archaeologist Enrique Cedillo of Madrid’s Complutense University, one of the experts rushing to study the circle before it is covered by water again.

It was discovered by the German archaeologist Hugo Obermayer in 1926, but the area was flooded in 1963 as part of a rural development project during the Francisco Franco dictatorship. Since then, it has only been seen in its entirety four times.

The appearance of the “Spanish Stonehenge”, an auspicious sign only for some

Dolmens are vertically positioned stones that usually support a flat stone. Although there are many such megalithic structures in various places in Europe, there is very little information about those who built them. Human remains found in or near their perimeters have led to the oft-cited theory that these structures are funerary monuments.

Local historical and tourism associations have recommended that the Guadalperal stones be moved to a museum or other location on land. Their appearance also bodes well for Ruben Argentas, owner of a small boat tourism business.

“If there is a dolmen, there will be dolmen tourism,” he told Reuters after a busy day of walking tourists to and from the site. But there are no advantages for local farmers.

“It hasn’t rained enough since the spring… There is no water for the livestock, so it has to be carried,” said Jose Manuel Comendador. Another local resident, Rufino Guinea, said his sweet pepper crop was destroyed.

According to a study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, climate change, which has brought extreme temperatures, has caused the worst drought in the Iberian Peninsula in 1,200 years, and cold season rains are expected to decrease.