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Trail 5 Pollença,
Santa Margalida, Artà, Capdepera
Molí de Vent and Llenaire The coastal area
of Pollença was relatively densely inhabited in prehistoric
times. There are numerous talayots; the most frequently visited
are the square talayots of the Molí de Vent (next
to the road leading from s'Albufereta to Pollença)
and Llenaire (on the way out of Puerto de Pollença
towards the housing estate of the same name).
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*The Necropolis of Son Real From the beach
of Son Bauló on the eastern edge of Can Picafort,
one walks along the shore for about twenty minutes
until one gets to the necropolis of Son Real, which
was excavated in the 1960's and which consists of a
number of graves that reproduce the form of the talayotic
monuments in miniature - round and square talayots,
and barrows. Very close by is the s'Illot des Porros,
an islet that was joined to the mainland in prehistoric
times, where burials were carried out in three huge
chambers cut out of the rock.
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The necropolis of Son Real is a group of tombs that reproduce in
miniature
the shapes of talaiotic monuments
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Sa Cova de sa Nineta Just by the turning off to Son
Serra de Marina on the way to Artà there is a talayot
called sa Cova de sa Nineta. It is another good example of
these structures, with carefully worked ashlars and a well
conserved entrance. Nearby there are various walls and adjoining
constructions. A sanctuary on the same site was destroyed,
when the road was built. There is also a talayot in the middle
of Son Serra de Marina that is clearly visible.
Sa Canova de Morell 1.3 kilometres down the road
to la Colònia de Sant Pere there is a gateway on the
left leading to a field where this prehistoric site is to
be found. The talayot can be easily made out and by following
a wall perpendicular to the road and then turning to the
right one comes to the most majestic talayot in the whole
of Majorca. This is sa Clova des Xot, a vast circular structure
with flagstones that in some cases measure over two metres.
In the interior there is a great polylithic column. Originally
it was in the middle of a settlement, the remains of which
appear among the wild olive trees.
*Poblado de ses Païsses If one takes the road
from Artà towards Capdepera, it is clearly signposted
and easy to find. This typical talayotic settlement is very
impressive and its perimeter wall, which is in a good state
of conservation, is especially interesting because of its
trilithic gateway, which is one of the masterpieces of talayot
architecture. The site has been prepared by the Artà Town
Council to receive visitors.
*Claper des Gegant There is a good example of what
a talayotic hamlet was like in Capdepera, very close to the
Canyamel Golf Club. It still conserves the perimeter wall,
a whole talayot and a goodly number of rooms, most of which
are in the eastern half of the settlement, to the south of
the talayot. The talayot was studied by the eminent French
pre-historian Emile Cartailhac towards the end of the last
century. In the talayot one can clearly see one of the most
frequent features of such structures: the great width of
the walls and the enormous difference between the outer bulk
of the construction and its actual size inside. It is circular
and inside there is a small gateway, with a passage behind
it - now blocked by rubble - at the end of which one would
presumably be able to see the outer entranceway.
* Talayots signposted and visitable.
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