MADRID: Spanish archaeologists say have discovered an exceptional set of Paleolithic-era cave drawings that could rank among the best in a country that already boasts some of the world’s most important cave art. Neanderthals built mysterious cave structures 175,000 years ago
Chief site archaeologist Diego Garate said that an estimated 70 drawings were found on ledges 300m (1,000 ft) underground in the Atxurra cave in the northern Basque region. He described the site as being in “the Champions League” of cave art and among the top 10 sites in Europe. The engravings and paintings feature horses, buffalo, goats and deer, dating back 12,500-14,500 years.
Garate said access to the area was so difficult and dangerous that it was unlikely to be open to the public. The cave was discovered in 1929 and first explored in 1934-35, but it was not until 2014, when Garate and his team resumed their investigations, that the drawings were discovered.
Experts say it is too early to judge whether the discovery ranks alongside Spain’s most prized prehistoric cave art site, but the Altamira caves – known as the Sistine chapel of Paleolithic art – Atxurra looks promising.
This composite shows two cave engravings representing bisons (top) and a highlighted version of them, in the Atxurra cave.
This composite shows two cave engravings representing bisons (top) and a highlighted version of them, in the Atxurra cave. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
“No one expected a discovery of this magnitude,” said Jose Yravedra, a prehistory professor at Madrid’s Complutense University. “There a lot of caves with drawings but very few have this much art and this much variety and quality.”
Altamira and other major sites in Spain and France have several hundred cave art images.
Garate highlighted one buffalo drawing, which he said must have the most hunting lances stuck in it of any such drawing in Europe. He said most hunting drawings have four or five lances but this had almost 20 and it was not clear why.
Yravedra said the cave’s hidden location and the number, variety and quality of its drawings meant the site was being classified as a “sanctuary,” or special Paleolithic meeting ritual place, like those at Altamira and Lascaux in France. Regional officials hope to set up a 3D public display of the art.
