Prehistoric Menorca was at the interface of diverse cultures. Menorca owes
a significant part of its present day appeal to its long and illustrious past.
Settlements can be traced back to the Bronze Age, 2000 B.C.
This period is refered to as the pre-Talayotic periodwhich has left important
burial monuments such as megalithic tombs and the collective tombs known as navetas.
By 1400 B.C. the culture had developed and produced large stone constructions known as talayots.
These constructions gave rise to theterm The Talayotic Period, considered by experts to be
the richest prehistoric period of the island history.
At this time there was also a development of large settlements like Trepucó, Torre d'en Galmés
or Son Catlar.
Each settlement had a single monument of worship called a taula and scores of
artificial caves excavated in the cliffs, such as Calas Covas and Cala Morell.
The Roman conquest in 123B.C. transformed the Talayotic settlements and established the three cities we know today at the ports of Mago (Maó), Jammo (Ciutadella) and Sanisera (Sanitja).
The indigenous population used cyclopean construction but soon willingly appear to soon have embraced outside influence from expanding merchant peoplessuch as the Carthaginians who were already established in Ibiza and were noted for introducing new tools and ornaments.
