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{{Short description|Stone monument found on Menorca, Balearic Islands}}
{{About|the monuments found on Menorca|other uses of "Taula"|Taula (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
[[File:Taula-Menorca.jpg|thumb|This is a taula from the site of Talatí de Dalt about 4 km west of Maó.]]
[[Image:Torralba.jpg|thumb|Taula of Torralba]]
A '''taula''' (meaning 'table' in [[Catalan language|Catalan]]) is a Stonehenge-esque stone monument found on the [[Balearic Islands|Balearic island]] of [[Menorca]]. Taulas can be up to 5 metres high and consist of a vertical pillar (a monolith or several smaller stones on top of each other) with a horizontal stone lying on it. A U-shaped wall often encloses the structure.

They were built by the [[Talaiotic culture]] between 500 BC and 300 BC.

Their exact cultural meaning remains unknown, but they probably had religious and/or astronomical purposes. Most of the taulas face south, which seems to suggest some astronomical meaning. Archeologist Michael Hoskin has suggested the taulas may have been part of an ancient healing cult.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4849-astronomy-study-reveals-ancient-places-of-healing.html |title=Astronomy study reveals ancient places of healing |first=Maggie |last=Mckee |date=5 April 2004 |magazine=[[newscientist.com]] |access-date=23 November 2024}}</ref> They are frequently found near [[talaiot]]s.

The first author who wrote about these structures was [[Juan Ramis]] in his book ''[[Antigüedades célticas de la isla de Menorca]]'' ("Celtic Antiquities of the Island of Menorca"), which was published 1818, being the first book in the Spanish language entirely devoted to [[Prehistory]].

Examples include those at [[Torre Trencada]], Talatí de Dalt, [[Torrellissá Nou]], Trepucó, and the site at [[Torralba d'en Salord]].

==Location==
*[[Alfurinet]]
*[[Algaiarens]]
*[[Bellaventura]]
*[[Biniac Vell]]
*[[Binicrodell Nou]]
*[[Binimaimut]]
*[[Binimassó]]
*[[Binissafullet|Binisafullet]]
*[[Cap de Cavalleria Ecomuseum|Cavalleria]]
*[[Cotaina]]
*[[Es Tudons]]
*[[La Beltrana]]
*[[Na Comerma de sa Garita]]
*[[Sa Torreta de Tramuntana]]
*[[Sant Agustí Vell]]
*[[So na Caçana Est]]
*[[So na Caçana Oest]]
*[[Son Angladó]]
*[[Son Bernardí]]
*[[Son Catlar]]
*[[Son Olivaret Nou]]
*[[Son Rotger]]
*[[Talatí de Dalt]]
*[[Torralba d'en Salort]]
*[[Torralbenc Vell]]
*[[Torre d'en Galmés]]
*[[Torrellafuda]]
*[[Torrellisà]]
*[[Torretrencada]]
*[[Torrevella d'en Lozano]]
*[[Trepucó]]
*[[Sa Cudia Cremada]]

==See also==
* [[Dolmen]]
* [[Megalith]]
* [[Menhir]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.descobreixmenorca.com/en/megalithic-menorca/ Megalithic Menorca. Discovering Menorca.]
* [http://www.mca-hotels.com/holidays-guide-minorca/95/97/menorca/prehistory/ Guide to Menorca: Prehistory] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151216094709/http://www.mca-hotels.com/holidays-guide-minorca/95/97/menorca/prehistory/ |date=16 December 2015 }}

[[Category:Megalithic monuments in Spain]]
[[Category:Iron Age cultures of Europe]]
[[Category:Prehistory of the Balearic Islands]]
[[Category:Prehistoric sites in Spain]]
[[Category:Iron Age Spain]]