Archaeologists Find 16,800-Year-Old Cave Dwelling That Is 'One of the Best'

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of a cave dwelling that was constructed around 16,800 years ago by prehistoric humans.

The dwelling was found in the La Garma cave complex in the autonomous community of Cantabria, northern Spain, the local government announced in a statement.

The new discovery is "one of the best preserved Paleolithic dwellings" in the world, according to the Government of Cantabria. The Paleolithic, also referred to as the Old Stone Age, is a period in human prehistory that extends from the earliest use of stone tools more than 3 million years ago to around 12,000 years ago.

"Paleolithic dwelling structures are extremely rare, and they are even more exceptional inside a cave," Pablo Arias, a professor of prehistoric archaeology at the University of Cantabria who was involved in the latest discovery, told Newsweek.

"Moreover, the preservation of the archaeological items associated with the hut is wonderful, and the density of finds very high. Thus, this site provides a unique information on the organization of domestic space and the activities performed inside a living structure during the late Ice Age."

La Garma is a "unique" archaeological site that boasts an impressive collection of rock art and Paleolithic remains, including thousands of fossils, according to the World Monuments Fund. The complex forms part of a world-renowned network of caves in northern Spain that are listed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This listing includes the famous Cave of Altamira in Cantabria that features striking prehistoric cave art dating as far back as around 35,000 years ago.

To date, five levels of caves have been discovered at La Garma, which preserves evidence of human activity spanning over 300,000 years, right up until the Middle Ages. The original entrance to the cave's Lower Gallery was blocked by a landslide around 16,000 years ago, preserving the ancient remains inside intact, turning it into a kind of prehistoric "time capsule," according to the local government.

The latest discovery at La Garma is the prehistoric dwelling from 16,800 years ago, which occupies an oval space of almost 54 square feet. Only the foundations of the hut are preserved, represented by a series of stone blocks and stalagmites that delimit the living space. These stones likely supported a structure of sticks and animal skins leaning against a ledge of the cave wall.

In the center of the dwelling, the researchers found evidence of a small bonfire, around which lie several remains left behind by the hunter-gatherers who lived there. These include antler and bone instruments, as well as evidence of fur working and stone tool production.

In total, the archaeologists documented more than 4,600 objects during their investigations, primarily the bones of deer, horses and bison, but also pieces of flint, needles and a porto-harpoon, as well as shells of marine mollusks.

They also found decorated bones, among them, a spectacular pierced bone of an aurochs—an extinct giant cattle species—with an engraved representation of that animal, as well as several pendants that the residents of the dwelling may have worn.

According to Arias, it is very unlikely that the dwelling at La Garma was a permanent residence.

"We are quite sure that such a thing did not exist at that time," he said. "During the Paleolithic, people lived in small, mobile bands that were moving from one place to another, probably covering large areas."

"Of course, there were some sites where they probably stayed for longer periods, or that served as some kind of aggregation sites, where different groups gathered for especial occasions, and La Garma might have been one of them, but I would not speak of permanent residences."

Update 12/08/23, 6:50 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional comment from Pablo Arias.