Los Millares

Los Millares is one of the most significant Chalcolithic archaeological sites on the Iberian Peninsula — the remains of a fortified settlement more than four thousand years old, located in the province of Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalucía, Spain. It is a destination for anyone interested in European prehistory and curious to see how some of the continent's earliest organized farming-and-metalworking communities were laid out.

Where is Los Millares located?

The site sits about 17 km north of the city of Almería, within the municipality of Santa Fe de Mondújar. Even in prehistoric times this was a strategically chosen location, allowing control over surrounding routes and access to the natural resources exploited by its ancient inhabitants.

What was the settlement at Los Millares?

It was a Chalcolithic occupation complex, in use from the fourth millennium BC to the end of the third millennium BC. The Chalcolithic — also known as the Copper Age — is the transitional period between the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, when communities began working with metal, primarily copper, alongside traditional stone tools. The settlement is estimated to have supported around 1,000 people at its peak, a substantial figure by prehistoric standards and a sign of considerable social organization.

Los Millares is recognized as the type site of its own archaeological culture — meaning the settlement patterns, craftsmanship, and social structures uncovered here gave their name to an entire cultural phenomenon: the Chalcolithic Millaran culture. Archaeologists use it as the reference point for describing a broader pattern of occupation found across southeastern Spain during this period.

How was the site discovered?

Los Millares was discovered in 1891, in rather unusual circumstances — during construction work on a railway line running through the region. The exposure of the ancient settlement's remains drew the attention of researchers of the time and led to the first systematic excavations.

Who carried out the first excavations?

The initial excavations were carried out by Luis Siret, a French engineer and amateur archaeologist who conducted fieldwork at the site in the years following its discovery. Siret is regarded today as one of the key figures in the study of southeastern Spain's prehistory, and his early work at Los Millares laid the groundwork for the more systematic research that followed.

Are excavations still ongoing?

Yes — archaeological work at Los Millares continues to this day. The site keeps yielding new information about the social organization, economy, and technology of the peoples who lived there during the Copper Age, with successive excavation campaigns gradually filling in the picture of life at the settlement thousands of years ago.

Frequently asked questions

What does "type site" mean? It refers to a location whose findings were significant enough that an entire archaeological culture was named after it — in this case, the Millaran culture.

How far is Los Millares from Almería? The site lies about 17 km north of the city of Almería, within the municipality of Santa Fe de Mondújar.

When was the settlement founded and how long was it occupied? The complex was in use from the fourth millennium BC through the end of the third millennium BC, spanning thousands of years.

When and how was the site discovered? It was discovered in 1891 during railway construction work, which prompted the first excavations, led by Luis Siret.