The Cueva de Ardales cave in Malaga, Spain, is a site where two different species of humans left behind over 1,000 works of art and buried their dead—essentially a grand museum or sanctuary from the Upper Paleolithic era.
A recently published study in PLOS One, led by archaeologist José Ramos-Muñoz from the University of Cadiz, Spain, presented a detailed stratigraphy consisting of 50 layers of sediment from 50 different dates at Cueva de Ardales, confirming the ancient origins of Stone Age art.
Researchers at Cueva de Ardales – (Photo: RAMOS-MUNOZ)
Evidence suggests that about 65,000 years ago, another species of human—the now-extinct Neanderthals—sought refuge in this cave, laying the foundation for a magnificent sanctuary or museum of the Upper Paleolithic.
Hundreds of artworks have been identified as having been created by this other species, possibly for decorative or ritualistic purposes. They utilized the cave until about 43,000 years ago, after which they suddenly disappeared.
Approximately 35,000 years ago, our ancestors, Homo sapiens, took over the cave and continued the wall decoration, bringing the total number of ancient artworks discovered to over 1,000.
Many fragments of ochre were also found in the sediment layers, indicating how these two species created their artworks. Ochre was a common material used by ancient peoples in artistic and ritualistic endeavors, remaining popular until a few hundred years ago in some civilizations.
According to Science Alert, no artifacts related to daily life were found, indicating that the cave was not used for residential purposes.
Several ancient burial sites—carefully interred—were also discovered within the cave. Scientists have not yet determined the species or specifics about the deceased, but there is speculation that they could very well be the “elite components” of both species.
This study once again confirms an incredible yet perhaps entirely plausible notion: Neanderthals, an extinct species that belonged to the same genus (Homo) as us, were not primitive at all. Evidence has shown that they were capable of crafting exquisite jewelry and tools, possibly knew how to weave fibers, knit nets, and even buried their dead in graves adorned with flowers tens of thousands of years ago.
