Discovered in 1905 by José Bullón Lobato, a humble farmer seeking guano to fertilize his land, the cave revealed its hidden secrets to the world thanks to the curiosity and perseverance of this visionary man. After his first forays into the depths of the grotto, Bullón named the site "Cave of Signs," before its name was changed to "La Pileta," in honor of the hill that houses it.
The discovery soon attracted the attention of prominent explorers and scholars, such as retired Colonel Willoughby Verner, who, fascinated by the stories surrounding the cave, ventured to investigate its mysteries in the following years. Along with a distinguished group of scientists, including Henri Breuil and Hugo Obermaier, Verner unraveled the secrets of La Pileta Cave, whose cave paintings, dating back to the Paleolithic, reveal the astonishing artistic skill of our ancestors.
The parietal art adorning the cave walls offers a unique window into the past, with vivid depictions of deer, horses, fish, goats, and bulls, as well as abstract figures and indeterminate signs that spark the imagination. This impressive collection of rock art, in the Franco-Cantabrian style, defies temporal and geographical boundaries, offering valuable clues about the expansion of Paleolithic art beyond its traditional areas of development.
But the Cueva de la Pileta is not just a museum of prehistoric art; it is also a living testament to the geological evolution of the region. Located in the majestic Sierra de Grazalema, this natural wonder has been shaped over millennia by the erosive action of the elements, creating a labyrinth of galleries and chambers adorned with impressive stalagmitic and stalactite formations.
The long human presence in the cave is reflected in the numerous layers of archaeological occupation that have been discovered, spanning the Paleolithic to the Neolithic. Paleolithic occupation phases, such as the Middle Solutrean and Late Magdalenian, are characterized by the elaborate cave paintings and stone artifacts discovered inside the cave, while the Neolithic evidence reveals a new phase in human history, marked by the development of pottery and agricultural practices.
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Children (3-7years)
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-2 years
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