erreka
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Reged: 03/19/08
Posts: 431
Loc: 3475 km from Gaza
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The Ekain cave has been declared World Heritage site along with other two Basque Paleolithic caves: Santimamiñe (Kortezubi) and Altxerri (Aia).
Ekain sanctuary´s entrance is on the eastern slope of the same name hill, in the municipality of Deba (Gipuzkoa), 90 meters above sea level.
The wonderful representations were discovered in 1969 by Rafael Rezabal and Andoni Albizuri, the same year J.M. Barandiaran began the excavation works which ended in 1975 under the direction of J. Altuna.
The occupancy levels includes from Chatelperronian (little evidence), through the Magdalenian, to the end of Azilian.
Have been located a total of 70 figures distributed in several areas, being mostly paintings and a few engravings, some of the images painted have engraved parts, being the most common animal the horse, also bisons, deers and goats , as well as bears and fishes, the latter two species uncommon in cave art.
The first figure in Ekain – a large horse’s head – stands about 50 metres from the entrance while the furthest figures are more than 150 metres from it.
All the paintings and engravings are located within the cavity, away from natural light, concentrated in five groups emphasizing the number, variety and quality of horses principally, being in some cases only contoured and presenting, in others, great deal of detail within the figure; some of them are polychrome. Have been used occasionally natural forms of the rock to give prominence to the figures (bison, horses and fish). All artistic conjunct was located between the Middle and Upper Magdalenian.
Some of the 34 horses of this cave have characteristics of the horse called Przewalski, wich survives on present-day in areas of Mongolia, although in small number. Among the peculiarities of this animal, the M-shaped line on the flank and the zebra-like lines on the legs.
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erreka
Gamer
Reged: 03/19/08
Posts: 431
Loc: 3475 km from Gaza
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The Altxerri cave is located in the municipality of Aia (Gipuzkoa), 20 meters above sea level, on the eastern slope of Beobategaina mount. It was discovered in 1962 and has not been done archaeological excavations.
The figures are placed inside the cavity, some of them at a considerable distance from the entrance: 150 representations divided in eight groups.
Are represented the bison (over 50), as well as reindeer, goat, horse and fish, along with deer, ibex, saiga, aurochs, glutton, fox and a bird, as well as an antropomorphous, a serpentine shape and various symbols.
It was used the art of engraving (majority and a large variety) and painting, especially black colour. Some of the figures have been painted on a very damp part of the rock and the paint has been greatly smudged.
Like in Ekain, in some cases the shapes of the wall increases the volume of representations (bird and reindeer).
Certain figures are lined with vertical or parallel lines, covering the whole of the animal, and even the contour of the legs and belly, replacing in some cases the animal's head. The paintings discovered and carved figures were made during the Upper-Final Magdalenian. Therefore Altxerri appears to date from later than Ekain.
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Groovy23
Environmentalist
Reged: 09/08/06
Posts: 1322
Loc: Central London, UK.
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Nice post erreka, well done. I'd heard of the Lascaux cave in France, but not this wonderful place.
Cheers.
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erreka
Gamer
Reged: 03/19/08
Posts: 431
Loc: 3475 km from Gaza
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Thanks Groovy, here's a touching video on Lascaux cave (Dordogne, France).
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erreka
Gamer
Reged: 03/19/08
Posts: 431
Loc: 3475 km from Gaza
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The human presence in Ekain cave begins at level VII. This level dates from the Lower Magdalenian period, between 16,500 and 15,500 years ago. Four fireplaces are located at the vestibule, which measured thirteen meters long by two wide. There are many remnants of bones and stone industry. By studying the remains of food is concluded that the occupation was done in the summer (hind and newly born fawns).
The skills found at level VI, which date from 12,050 years ago, belong to the Upper Magdalenian period. There were also harpoons typical of this period, and evidence of specialization in the mountain goat hunting, a species that lived in the nearby Izarraitz mount.
In this level a sandstone plaquette has been found, which is engraved with an ibex, a deer and a horse.
 
The cave art in the sanctuary of Ekain has been attributed to the inhabitants during this cultural period.
A few people went by a narrow gallery, to the point where the cave was again extended, and hidden in the depths of the cave they painted and engraved figures of animals.
It is said this type of rock art had a magical function, representing the animals that they wanted to hunt. But in Ekain dominated the horses, which are rarely hunted, and only sees a deer, which was the main dam.
Nearly 58% of the figures are horses and bison are 18.6%. Comparing these data with the animal bones found at the cave entrance, these two animals are more than 76% of the paintings and only 1.6% in the Azilien level and 1.9% in the Upper Magdalenian. That is to say, the animals more represented in the cave have a very low representation as food.
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erreka
Gamer
Reged: 03/19/08
Posts: 431
Loc: 3475 km from Gaza
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The Santimamiñe cave is the third Basque cave included by UNESCO in the list of World Heritage Sites since July 2008.
Santimamiñe is located at the bottom of the foot of Ereñusarre mount near the estuary of Gernika, in the municipality of Kortezubi (Bizkaia), 150 meters above sea level. It is 365 meters long.
It was discovered in 1916, and in 1918 T. de Aranzadi and J.M. de Barandiaran conducted excavations until 1926, the latter continued his work in 1954 and finally between 1961 and 1962. Around these dates were discovered new figures. But in 1925, these researchers and E. Eguren issued a study about the figures, based on tracing copies and photographs.
In its stratigraphy are present levels from Aurignacian until the romanization.
The representations are located inside the cave, more than 100 meters from the entrance, distributed in a main gallery. From the first hall there is a difficult climb through a antechamber (with paintings as well) to a room called the chamber of the paintings where are found the most of them. About 50 figures painted in black or engraved and dominated by bison, although in smaller number there are horses, goats and deers; usually have small dimensions. There are no polychrome figures in this cavity.
According to its style the figures are classified between Initial and Middle Magdalenian.
Because its artistic quality in the large panel a painted and engraved bison and two shaded bisons stand out.
 
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erreka
Gamer
Reged: 03/19/08
Posts: 431
Loc: 3475 km from Gaza
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The Ekain, Altxerri and Santimamiñe caves are closed to the public with the aim of protecting the paintings and carvings.
About 600 meters from Ekain cave is opened a replica. Santimamiñe can be visited only the first few meters and also make a virtual visit.
The photos used in this thread are made by Jesus Altuna, except someone of Xabi Otero.
Most of the texts are translations of the book "Orígenes" (Txalaparta Argitaletxea) written by the archaeologist Xabier Peñalver.
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