40,000-year-old sealed cavern in Gibraltar gives new insight into Neanderthal life
A cave chamber estimated to have been sealed shut for at least 40,000 years was recently discovered in the Rock of Gibraltar, and researchers believe that it could offer new insights into the lives of Homo Neanderthalensis, the Neanderthals who lived in the area.
Vanguard Cave is one of four caves that make up the famous Rock of Gibraltar, with the other three being Bennett’s Cave, Gorham’s Cave and Hyaena Cave. According to UNESCO, the caves provide evidence of Neanderthal life existing in the location for over 100,000 years.
The caves have provided ample evidence of how Neanderthals lived, UNESCO said, including “rare evidence of exploitation of birds and marine animals for food, and use of bird feathers and abstract rock engravings,” all of which have allowed scientists to piece together a clearer image of the Neanderthal species and their cognitive abilities.
While most of what is known today about the species has been garnered from the excavation of Gorham’s Cave, researchers have now turned their attention to the smaller, unexplored Vanguard Cave.
The Gibraltar National Museum announced the discovery of the 40,000-year-old sealed chamber on September 24 via their website, stating that the discovery was a culmination of nine years of work, after a project was started in 2012 to determine if the sea rock’s Vanguard Cave was home to passages or chambers that had been blocked by sediment over time.
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/40000-year-old-sealed-cavern-in-gibraltar-gives-new-insight-into-neanderthal-life-680884?ref=thefuturist