Höhle von Cotencher, Prehistoric cave in Rochefort, Switzerland
Höhle von Cotencher is a limestone cave that extends into the northern slope of the Areuse Gorge and contains several interconnected chambers. The walls display clear layering from the Pleistocene period, creating a visible record of how this site changed over vast stretches of time.
The cave came to light in 1867 and quickly proved to be one of the earliest known places where people stayed in Switzerland. Subsequent excavations revealed tools and remains that showed humans visited this area repeatedly over an extremely long span of time.
The cave draws its name from the nearby Areuse River and served as shelter for people across millennia who left behind evidence of their presence in its chambers. The rock layers within reveal a place that held meaning for hunters who regularly passed through this region of Neuchatel.
Visiting requires sturdy footwear and a helmet, as the ground is uneven and the ceiling drops low in places. Access is limited to the summer months between June and September, and group tours offer the safest and most informative way to explore.
The remains of a female Neanderthal jawbone discovered here rank among the rarest human fossils from that era in Europe. This discovery turned the site into a valuable resource for researchers seeking to understand how our distant ancestors lived.
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