Atypical engravings of 25,000 years ago in the cave of Alkerdi 2

2021/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Eboluzioa
• Arkeologia

In the cave of Alkerdi 2 (Urdazubi) a dozen figurative engravings of 25,000 years ago have been found. Among them are bison, uros, horses and, above all, four bulvas. There are also series of five double lines of red paint. They were hidden in a hard-to-reach place.

The works have been coordinated by Diego Garate Maidagan, an expert in cave art at the University of Cantabria. This is an outstanding set, as it presents unusual characteristics in the Paleolithic cave art. In fact, the analysis of the recorded lines shows that the person who made them was not a skilled artist, as they are not able to create continuous and secure lines. This is usually not the case: hard to reach wall figures are usually made by experts, as if they were somehow saved for them. In Alkerdi 2, that doesn't happen.

Although research is still ongoing, they have confirmed the importance of the Alkerdi 2 cave to better understand the origin of artistic expression. The research team is composed of multidisciplinary specialists who help obtain a complete view of the Alkerdi-Zelaieta-Ikaburu karstic system.