Cova Gran de Santa Linya, Archaeological site in Santa Linya, Spain
Cova Gran de Santa Linya is a cave with archaeological remains in the Noguera region, extending across a large area. The natural cave space was shaped by erosion from the Sant Miquel stream and contains different layers with traces of human activity.
The cave shows traces of human occupation from the period when humanity transitioned from Neanderthals to modern humans. This shift happened thousands of years ago and is documented in the different layers of the cave.
The cave displays stone engravings that show how people at the time saw and understood their surroundings. These depictions of animals and landscape features tell us what lived in this area and how important such places were to early communities.
The site is located about 2 kilometers from the village of Santa Linya, so it is best reached on foot or by vehicle from there. It is an active research location, so visits may be limited or require a guide.
A limestone block in the cave holds the oldest engravings of this kind found in the pre-Pyrenean area of Catalonia. This discovery changed how experts understand art development in this mountainous region.
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