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The article highlights the significance of well-preserved perishable organic materials, such as wood, plant fibers and skins, in studying past societies and understanding human adaptations, technology and ecological knowledge. It specifically examines the plant-based artifacts found in Cueva de los Murciélagos, providing insights into the evolution of plant-based technologies during the Early-Middle Holocene in Europe, shedding light on cultural traditions.

Megaliths represent the earliest form of monumental stone architecture. The earliest megalithic chambers in Europe appeared in France in the fifth millennium BCE. Menga is the oldest of the great dolmens in Iberia (approximately 3800 to 3600 BCE). Menga's capstone #5 weighing 150 tons is the largest stone ever moved in Iberia as part of the megalithic phenomenon and one of the largest in Europe. The research presented here proposes a completely innovative interpretation of how this colossal monument was built. It comprises a geoarchaeological analysis encompassing three major components: (i) the angles of the planes of each stone, (ii) the stratigraphic polarity of each structural element, and (iii) the depth of the foundations. Our results show that Menga is a unique example of creative genius and early science among Neolithic societies. It was designed as a completely original engineering project, for which we know of no precedents in Iberia.