Altamira Cave Deep Dive
The Cave of Altamira in Cantabria, Spain, is among the world's most important rock-art sites and was the first decorated cave recognised as Palaeolithic in age. Its polychrome bison painted on the cave ceiling date to approximately 14,500-19,500 BP. The Neocueva replica at the adjacent museum is the standard visitor experience today.
Discovery and controversy
The cave was discovered in 1868 by a local hunter, but the paintings were not recognised until 1879, when Maria Sanz de Sautuola, the 9-year-old daughter of amateur archaeologist Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola, noticed bison images on the ceiling. Her father published the discovery in 1880; the international archaeological community rejected it as a fraud until other decorated caves were discovered in France and Spain in the 1900s. Sanz de Sautuola died in 1888 with his work still discredited.
The paintings
The famous polychrome bison cover a low ceiling at the end of the cave. The artists used the natural rock surface to give three- dimensional form to the animals. Pigments are red ochre (iron oxide), charcoal, and yellow ochre. Other figures include horses, deer, and hands.
Conservation crisis
Altamira opened to tourism in 1917. By the 1960s carbon dioxide from visitors was damaging the paintings; the cave was severely restricted in 1977 and closed entirely 2002-2014. Limited research-only visits resumed in 2014.
The replica
The Neocueva ("New Cave"), opened 2001, reproduces the painted chamber and access passage at 1:1 scale. It is in the museum building beside the original cave.
Practical
The Altamira museum is near Santillana del Mar, 30 km west of Santander. Open Tuesday-Sunday. Guided tours of the replica include rock-art context for the entire Cantabrian Palaeolithic.
Explore on the map
See Altamira on the interactive map.