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All Spain Cáceres Cave of Maltravieso

Cave of Maltravieso

A neighborhood park in the city of Cáceres hides what some believe are revolutionary examples of Neanderthal cave art.

Cáceres, Spain

Added By
Luis Morato
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Cave of Maltravieso   Album/Alamy
Cave of Maltravieso   Album/Alamy
Actual entrance at the Cave of Maltravieso.   Mario modesto/cc by-sa 3.0
View of the entrance.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Panoramic view of the park.   Mario Modesto Mata/public domain
Plaque honoring to Carlos Callejo.   Luis Morato / Atlas Obscura User
Carlos Callejo, discovered the cave paintings in 1956.   Hizn Qazrix/cc by-sa 4.0
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About

In February 2018, Science magazine reported on an investigation carried out by the British University of Southampton that triggered a huge stir in the scientific community.

The article referred to research carried out in three Spanish caves: La Pasiega (Cantabria), Maltravieso (Extremadura), and Ardales (Andalusia). In these caves, a uranium-thorium test was conducted to date some of the caves' paintings. The method had already proved successful in the cave of El Castillo in Cantabria, dating some of the paintings to more than 40,000 years old. The study found that the paintings in Maltravieso may be far older than previously believed.

The Cave of Maltravieso was discovered in 1951, when an explosion inside a limestone quarry revealed the deep cavity. Inside were human skulls, animal remains, ceramics, and other tools currently on exhibit at the Museum of Cáceres. 

The discovery attracted the attention of several local researchers. Among them was Carlos Callejo, who discovered the paintings on the walls of the caves in 1956. In total, some 71 negative hand stencils adorn the walls. Around one of the stencils, small deposits of carbonate overlaid the red pigment. That deposit was recently analyzed using uranium-thorium dating. It was discovered that this particular painting was created around 66,700 years ago, long before Homo Sapiens established a foothold in Europe. 

This discovery indicated that some of the paintings must have been created by Neanderthals. This would make the Cave of Maltravieso one of the oldest examples of cave art in the world. If the paintings were indeed the artistry of  Neanderthals, it would force scientists to reevaluate the behavior patterns of humanity's earlier ancestors. 

Related Tags

Caves Cave Paintings Rocks Neanderthals Prehistoric Ecosystems Geology

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Currently, visits are limited to small groups that must first register through the official website. However, you can freely visit the interpretation center located in the park, close to the cave.

Community Contributors

Added By

Luis Morato

Edited By

Kerry Wolfe

  • Kerry Wolfe

Published

January 16, 2020

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Sources
  • https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cueva_de_Maltravieso
  • https://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6378/912
  • http://laaldaba.es/estudio-science-situa-la-cueva-maltravieso-las-pinturas-rupestres-mas-antiguas-del-mundo/
  • https://arqueologiaenred.paleorama.es/2018/02/identifican-en-varias-cuevas-espanolar.html
  • https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dataci%C3%B3n_uranio-torio
  • http://museodecaceres.juntaex.es/web/view/portal/index/standardPage.php?id=12
  • https://www.europapress.es/extremadura/noticia-cueva-maltravieso-caceres-abrira-publico-partir-abril-20190327140346.html
Cave of Maltravieso
54 Av. de Cervantes
Cáceres, 10005
Spain
39.457614, -6.370797
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