Cova del Parpalló, Archaeological cave in Gandia, Spain.
Cova del Parpalló is a limestone cave containing thousands of stone plaques engraved and painted with depictions of animals, plants, and geometric designs from the last ice age. The site reveals layered deposits that show how occupants used the shelter repeatedly across different seasons over many generations.
The cave served as a seasonal refuge during the last glacial period, occupied repeatedly by hunting groups who returned each autumn and winter to the same shelter. Accumulated layers of artifacts, bones, and carved plaques spanning thousands of years provide evidence of continuous use and cultural transmission across many generations.
The cave serves as a record of how ancient hunters documented their world through images carved into stone plaques, showing what mattered to them across generations. Walking through the space, visitors witness how these people preserved their knowledge and daily experiences for others to discover.
Visits require advance booking and are conducted in small groups to protect the delicate surfaces and allow visitors to learn properly. The tour lasts roughly two hours, and it is wise to wear comfortable shoes and bring a jacket since the cave is cool and somewhat damp throughout.
Many of the stone plaques were created using flint and bone tools with sophisticated techniques, showing that makers possessed diverse skills and experimented with different methods. This technical variety suggests a high level of knowledge-sharing and specialization among groups who visited the cave across many centuries.
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