Archaeologists in central Spain report the puzzling discovery of a collection of ancient animal skulls found deep within an ancient cave near Madrid.
The unusual find is believed to represent evidence of repeated activity carried out tens of thousands of years ago by Neanderthals who once lived in the region, and may offer compelling evidence of symbolic behavior previously thought to be unique to modern humans.
The discovery was detailed in recent research published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.
Discovery at the “Valley of the Neanderthals”
During excavations beginning in 2009, archaeologists uncovered a rich layer of Middle Paleolithic artifacts within Des-Cubierta Cave, located in Pinilla del Valle near Madrid, Spain. Since that time, the area has been dubbed the “Valley of the Neanderthals” for the remarkable ancient discoveries there.
Such finds include the recovery of several Mousterian stone tools—the primary culture of Middle Paleolithic Europe, as recognized by archaeologists—and a technological manifestation widely associated with Neanderthals in Europe.
Stone tools were not all that the cave had shielded against the elements for several tens of thousands of years: the additional presence of a concentration of animal crania added a layer of archaeological significance unlike those found at other European sites linked to the mysterious Neanderthals.
An Accumulation of Ancient Mammal Skulls
Altogether, portions of skulls associated with 35 large animals, including 28 cattle, five species of deer, and two ancient Ice Age rhinoceroses, were discovered in the cave. Curiously, no other skeletal remains from these animals were present, which included even jaws and facial bones that might normally be associated with the discovery of skulls from such animals under other circumstances.
Several questions lingered about whether natural conditions, such as flooding, might have carried the remains into the cave. However, the seemingly obvious implication, based on the very specific selection of only upper crania present within the cave, had been that the skulls were placed there intentionally at some point in the remote past. If so, why had the cave’s ancient visitors done this, and what might it potentially mean?
Evidence of a Neanderthal Skull Cult?
To answer such questions, the research team behind the investigation, led by archaeologist Lucía Villaescusa of the University of Alcalá, closely examined deposits in the cave, ranging from geological debris to fragmented bones. By mapping the distribution of artifacts and reconstructing bone fragments, the team discerned and analyzed preservation patterns to determine how the remains were brought to the cave.
During their investigations, the team found evidence of an ancient rockfall event that created a sloping, conical debris area. Significantly, it was only after this that evidence of skulls began to appear within the cave.
Additionally, evidence the team uncovered indicated that the skulls were not deposited at the same time but were brought into the cave over what appeared to be an extended period, sometime between 70,000 and 50,000 years ago. The presence of distinctive layers associated with different periods of activity suggested that multiple visits spanning several generations might have been involved.
Still, the prevailing question involves what the purpose of such activity might have been. The researchers said there was no evidence of animal processing (primarily as a food source), and that their seemingly selective placement in the cave would have required deliberate effort, especially since several of the large skulls present were heavy and difficult to transport. This suggests that whatever the reason for their presence, it served a specific purpose.
Challenging Our Views on Neanderthals
If confirmed, the discoveries at Des-Cubierta Cave could upend past thinking about Neanderthals, which were long viewed as mainly survivalists with little evidence of symbolic activity.
However, a growing number of pigments, ornaments, and other discoveries pointing to ritual beliefs, as well as evidence of possible burial practices, have contributed to a steadily growing accumulation of questions about our ancient archaic cousins and whether they were more like modern humans than once believed.
The discoveries at the Des-Cubierta site add more pieces to that emerging picture and imply a shared understanding among the cave’s ancient visitors, suggestive of behavior remembered and repeated by different individuals over time.
“These findings underscore the value of integrating geostatistical and traditional archaeological approaches to advance interpretations of spatial and temporal patterns in karst environments and provide a methodological approach for examining sites with similar sedimentary histories,” the researchers write in their recent study.
“Moreover,” the team adds, “the results support the interpretation of a recurrent, culturally motivated Neanderthal behaviour centred on the deliberate accumulation of large ungulate crania, pointing to a symbolic dimension in these practices.”
The team’s recent paper, “Towards a formation model of the Neanderthal symbolic accumulation of herbivore crania: Spatial patterns shaped by rockfall dynamics in Level 3 of Des-Cubierta Cave (Lozoya valley, Madrid, Spain),” appeared in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.