Cave of Bedmar

The Cueva de Bedmar is an archaeological site ranging from the Middle Paleolithic to the Neolithic period placed at Mágina mountain range natural park, nearby the town of Bedmar, in the province of Jaén in Spain.

Archaeological activity

Archaeological activities started after a member of Fundación Instituto de Investigación y Evolución Humana (FIPEH) found archaeological remains suggesting the presence of a potential archaeological site in the area.[1][2][3]

In 2015, FIPEH carries out the first archaeological campaign resulting in the finding of more than 600 pieces of archaeological material, mainly lithic tools, belonging to Mousterian culture. These pieces place the Cueva de Bedmar in the Middle Paleolithic.[4][5][6] The numerous lithic remain leads to hypothesis that this site was exclusively dedicated to flint knapping.[1][3]

During the summer of 2016, a new excavating area within the complex of Cueva de Bedmar, named as ‘Cueva del Portillo’, is opened.[2] The work done during this campaign allowed to increase the number of archaeological pieces up to about 2500. There are two findings that stand out from all these pieces: two shell made necklaces, one of them complete.[7]

The hitherto amount of evidences collected, although currently under study,[8] allows researchers to establish four different levels: the upper most level corresponds to the Neolithic period, where there is presence of ground stones and pottery. The second level belongs to the Upper Paleolithic whose relative datation is 13000 years. In this level, there are lithic tools, and this is the level where the completed necklace was found. The third level relates to Magdalenian culture and it is where the second necklace appeared. Here, there are evidences of occupation and several remains of hearths. The last level exhibit lithic tools and fauna bone remains.[2][9][10]

See also

References
  1. "El yacimiento de la "Cueva de Bedmar", el único Neandertal dedicado sólo a la talla de útiles - Hora Jaén". Hora Jaén (in Spanish). 2015-12-02. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  2. Plaza, Antonio (2016-09-05). "Nuevos hallazgos Prehistóricos en la Cueva del Portillo de Bedmar". Cadena SER (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  3. LaInformacion. "Cultura.- MásJaén.- La Cueva de Bedmar, el único yacimiento de la época Neandertal dedicado a la talla de útiles". La Información (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2018-02-03. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  4. Press, Europa (2015-10-15). "Arqueólogos hallan 600 piezas del Paleolítico Medio en el yacimiento de la Cueva de Bedmar". europapress.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  5. "Hallan 600 piezas del Paleolítico en Cueva Bedmar, yacimiento único en Andalucía". Jaén - Ideal (in Spanish). 2015-10-15. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  6. "Hallan en Bedmar unas 600 piezas del Paleolítico Medio". www.diariojaen.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  7. Canal Sur Jaén (2016-09-06), Arqueólogos hallan un collar de 13.000 años de antigüedad en Bedmar, retrieved 2018-02-03
  8. ""El yacimiento arqueológico hallado en la Cueva de Bedmar es un tesoro tanto para la localidad como para toda la provincia de Jaén por su peculiaridad e importancia", Juan Francisco Serrano, alcalde de Bedmar". www.emartv.es. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  9. 20Minutos. "Bedmar proyecta un Museo de la Prehistoria para acoger los restos arqueológicos hallados en La Serrezuela". 20minutos.es - Últimas Noticias. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  10. "Hallan dos collares con más de 13.000 años en una cueva de Bedmar (Jaén)". La Vanguardia. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
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