Cueva Victoria, Paleontological cave in Cabezo de San Ginés, Spain.
Cueva Victoria is a cave system in Cartagena located beneath Cabezo de San Ginés hill. The site contains multiple large chambers and connecting passages that form an underground network accessible to visitors and researchers.
During the Lower Pleistocene period, this cave served as a den for hyenas, as shown by fossilized remains and distinctive bone marks. Manganese mining in the late 19th century altered the cave structure but provided new pathways for exploration.
The site is rooted in its significance as a window into prehistoric human presence in Western Europe. Visitors can sense how this place shaped scientific understanding of early human migration and survival in the region.
The cave is accessible through natural openings and passages created by historical mining activity. Visitors should be prepared for uneven ground and varying light conditions while exploring the underground passages.
Excavations have uncovered the remains of around 50 different vertebrate species, making this an extraordinary site for understanding prehistoric animal life. This remarkable concentration of fossils provides visitors with insight into an ancient ecosystem.
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