Portal de Caravaca de la Cruz
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In the 29th excavation campaign carried out in this site, with nearly one million years, a varied lithic industry has been found, as well as numerous remains of mammals
In the Black Cave was located the oldest European hand ax and the first presence of fire made by man in Europe
Among the numerous actions of research and dissemination of the site promoted by the Mupantquat association, is the recent research published by the prestigious journal 'Historical Biology' and the documentary filmed by Arqueomanía for La 2 of TVE
'The Black Cave' continues to provide the international scientific community with valuable information on the behavior of the first hominids, consolidating as a key place for the knowledge of human evolution and for the study of Paleontropology.
This has been assured by Professor Michael Walker, accompanied by the Councilor for Culture in Caravaca de la Cruz City Council, Óscar Martínez, during the presentation of the conclusions of the 29 excavation campaign carried out in this caravaqueño site.
For his part, the mayor of Culture thanked "the continued involvement of the Murcian Association for the Study of Paleoanthropology and the Quaternary (MUPANTQUAT) in favor of research and dissemination of 'The Black Cave', commitment to which should be added the regional and national administrations for the potential and global projection of this deposit, located in the Strait of the Quípar River of the hamlet of La Encarnación ".
With nearly a million years old, the cave was originally frequented by human beings who left traces of their presence in the form of fire remains and a hand ax, both being the oldest in Europe, in addition to other useful Paleolithic and abundant remains of fauna.
Until the excavation of the Black Cave had not been found in Europe or remnants of fire or a Paleolithic set with an ax 'hand achelense' in sediments of the Early Pleistocene.
Among the remains that appeared this year, it is worth highlighting a varied lithic industry, similar to the one that appeared in other campaigns, which shows a treatment and processing of the very striking and advanced material for the time so old in which the coat was frequented.
As far as the rest of fauna, numerous rest of micromamíferos appear that contribute biocronological information, as well as rest of great mammals of which conclusions on the ways of life and subsistence of the human being can be extracted of so remote time.
"In the 2018 campaign we have collected paleolithic remains such as retouching flint implements, as well as the remains of the animals that were the subsistence base for the hunters and gatherers that inhabited the cave, from large mammals to smaller animals." Featured Walker.
The cave has provided an interesting fauna, with notable presence of remains of extinct species of rhinoceros, elephants (probably mammoth), bison, a giant deer, fallow deer, roe deer, horse, goat, boar, macaque, rabbit, hare, squirrel, hedgehog , pika, water rats, shrew, turtle, lizard, frog, toad, snake, and 66 species of birds.
The identification of 7 species of waterfowl implies the proximity of swamps and the presence of riparian forest.
During the almost thirty years of research in the cave, the various research works carried out by scientists of international renown in the cave and later elaborated in their laboratories, especially in Berkeley (USA), have provided amazing results in relation to the definition of the sedimentary deposit in the cave.
The range of techniques, together with the mastery of fire, in addition to the use of mineral and biological resources present, offers an important insight into manual dexterity, technical aptitude, and above all, the cognitive versatility of reservoir frequenters makes an almost million years
These aspects have attracted the attention of the scientific world in various reference publications such as the prestigious international journal 'Historical Biology', as well as the disseminator Manuel Pimentel and his production company Arqueomanía, whose program is broadcast by La 2 of TVE, who have shot a documentary of the cave during the current excavation campaign.
"Due to the enormous international interest aroused by the antiquity of the fire discovered in 2011 and the depth of the final Pleistocene sediment accumulated above, we maintain an enthusiastic collaboration with numerous international and national scientists, some of whom have made visits personally, and others Samples are sent to their laboratories, "said Professor Michael Walker.
Recent collaborations include those carried out by paleontologists from the Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona, the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid and the Berkeley Geochronology Center in California.
For the realization of the excavation campaigns that are carried out each summer, the Murcian Association for the Study of Paleoanthropology and the Quaternary (MUPANTQUAT) has a collaboration agreement with the City of Caravaca de la Cruz and the University of Murcia.
The Black Cave is ideal for the scientific preparation of students and graduates, both biologists and archaeologists and anthropologists.
Source: Ayuntamiento de Caravaca de la Cruz
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