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Cave del Valle ( es, italic=yes, Cueva del Valle, ''The Valley's Cave''), locally also known as ''La Viejarrona'' (Old Girl), is located near ''El Cerro Village'' in the municipality of
Although situated in the renown
Rasines
Rasines is a municipality located in the autonomous community of Cantabria
Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a histo ...
in Cantabria
Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a historic community, in its current Statute of Autonomy. It is bordered on the east ...
, northern Spain. The cave is the source of the ''Silencio River'', a tributary of the ''Rio Ruahermosa'', which in turn is a tributary of the '' Asón River''. Notable for its prehistoric, but particularly for its speleologic significance as it is recognized as one of the longest cavities in the world. The site is very popular among cavers
Caving – also known as spelunking in the United States and Canada and potholing in the United Kingdom and Ireland – is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology is ...
, who have explored a total of over so far.
Prehistoric occupation
Although situated in the renown Franco-Cantabrian region
The Franco-Cantabrian region (also ''Franco-Cantabric region'') is a term applied in archaeology and history to refer to an area that stretches from Asturias, in northern Spain, to Aquitaine and Provence in Southern France. It includes the southe ...
, the discovery of prehistoric rock paintings has never been reported. In 1905 a priest named ''Lorenzo Sierra'' discovered the first objects, tools and artifacts that account for human occupation as early as 9,000 years ago. Documented are Azilian
The Azilian is a Mesolithic industry of the Franco-Cantabrian region of northern Spain and Southern France. It dates approximately 10,000–12,500 years ago. Diagnostic artifacts from the culture include projectile points (microliths with ro ...
harpoons and scrapers, Upper Magdalenian spear points and other bone tools. Stone tools include chisels and various types of scrapers. Latest excavations were made from 1996 to 1998. A perforated and decorated stick of archaeological interest was found at this site, but is now lost. However, the ''National Archaeological Museum'' retains a copy and there exists another pierced pole, preserved in the ''Regional Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria'', although of less importance than the lost specimen as it is not decorated.
Caving site
The cave of the valley is recognized as one of the longest explored caves in the world with more than yet explored. The site is, apart from professional speleologists, also well known among sport - and hobby practitioners ofcaving
Caving – also known as spelunking in the United States and Canada and potholing in the United Kingdom and Ireland – is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology i ...
.
See also
Caves in CantabriaReferences
External links
* Margarita Díaz-Andreu (13 November 2012). Archaeological Encounters: Building Networks of Spanish and British Archaeologists in the 20th Century. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 206–. . {{Authority control Prehistoric sites in Spain Archaeological sites in Spain Valle Art of the Upper Paleolithic Azilian