Ancient Humans Kept Returning to a Remote Pyrenees Cave for 7,000 Years

High-altitude scenery successful the eastbound Pyrenees showing the determination of Cave 338. Credit: Carlos Tornero / CC BY 4.0

Archaeologists person recovered caller grounds that the prehistoric Pyrenees communities utilized a precocious upland cave for thousands of years, challenging the thought that past radical lone passed done these harsh alpine zones briefly.

The study, led by Carlos Tornero and published successful Frontiers successful Environmental Archaeology, focuses connected Cave 338 successful the eastbound Pyrenees. The cave sits 2,235 meters (about 7,333 feet) supra oversea level adjacent Núria Valley successful Girona, Spain. Researchers accidental it is the highest known prehistoric cave concern documented successful the Pyrenees.

Excavations carried retired betwixt 2021 and 2023 revealed a well-preserved archaeological record. The tract contained pottery, carnal bones, charcoal, chromatic tools, combustion pits, and hundreds of greenish mineral fragments. Researchers judge the mineral was apt malachite, a copper-rich stone.

Cave shows repeated past visits

Earlier studies of high-altitude Pyrenean sites often pointed to abbreviated and low-intensity visits. Many of those sites had bladed deposits and constricted remains. Cave 338 presents a antithetic picture.

Researchers documented 43 stratigraphic units and 23 pit-like combustion structures successful lone 6 quadrate meters of excavation. These features suggest repeated usage of the aforesaid cave abstraction implicit agelong periods.

Radiocarbon dating shows respective phases of activity. The earliest grounds points to usage astir 5,000 to 4,360 B.C. The strongest concern signifier dates from astir 3,464 to 2,532 B.C. Later enactment continued astir 1,109 to 890 B.C.

The findings suggest past groups returned to the cave crossed galore generations. Researchers constituent to organized seasonal movement, not accidental oregon random visits.

Green mineral whitethorn beryllium cardinal clue

One of the astir antithetic discoveries is the ample fig of greenish mineral fragments. More than 170 pieces were recovered by hand, portion galore smaller fragments appeared during h2o sieving.

Green mineral fragments, apt malachite, and prehistoric pendants made from ammunition and a carnivore bony recovered from Cave 338. Credit: Maria D. Guillén / CC BY 4.0

The mineral is not people contiguous wrong the cave. Its angular signifier suggests radical brought larger pieces into the cave and crushed them there. Researchers judge the worldly was apt malachite, though chemic studies are inactive underway.

The mineral fragments appeared successful respective layers and wrong galore combustion pits. This signifier suggests the cave whitethorn person served arsenic a spot for processing the material. The nonstop intent remains unclear.

The find is important due to the fact that specified intensive usage of malachite has not been documented earlier successful this portion for these prehistoric periods.

Animal bones and pottery adhd context

The excavation besides uncovered 945 carnal remains. Sheep and goat bones were the astir common. Researchers besides identified remains of pig, dog, hare, and brownish bear.

Some bones showed burning, chopped marks, and intentional breakage. These signs constituent to nutrient mentation and depletion astatine the site.

The squad besides recovered 333 ceramic fragments. Most were handmade and plain, without decoration. The pottery suggests repeated home oregon task-related enactment alternatively than casual structure use.

Stone tools were rare. Researchers recovered lone 3 intelligibly knapped flakes. This whitethorn mean radical arrived with finished tools, utilized them during their stay, and carried them distant erstwhile they left.

Human remains rise caller questions

Researchers besides recovered 2 quality remains: a digit bony and a child’s precocious canine tooth. The remains whitethorn beryllium to the aforesaid child, estimated to person been astir 11.5 years old.

The find raises the anticipation that Cave 338 whitethorn besides person held funerary meaning. Other adjacent caves successful the portion person produced grounds of prehistoric burial activity, though astatine little altitudes.

Researchers accidental much excavation is needed earlier they tin corroborate whether Cave 338 was utilized for burial.

A caller presumption of upland life

The study changes however archaeologists recognize prehistoric beingness successful the Pyrenees. It suggests that precocious upland zones were not lone crossed during travel. They were known, revisited, and utilized for circumstantial activities.

Cave 338 shows that prehistoric groups had elaborate cognition of alpine routes, resources, and risks. They apt utilized the cave seasonally, erstwhile upwind and entree allowed.

The Pyrenees themselves besides transportation a heavy mythological past successful Greek tradition. Ancient writers linked the mountains to Pyrene, a princess whose tragic communicative was tied to the leader Hercules. According to aboriginal accounts, Hercules named the mountains aft her.

Other classical sources, including Diodorus Siculus, offered a antithetic explanation, linking the sanction to the Greek connection for fire. While these accounts are symbolic alternatively than historical, they amusement however the Pyrenees captured the imaginativeness of past Mediterranean cultures agelong aft the prehistoric communities uncovered astatine Cave 338 had vanished.

Excavations are expected to continue. Future enactment volition absorption connected the deeper layers, the root of the greenish mineral, and the afloat intent of the cave.