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The Twelve Treasures of Spain is a list chosen by listeners and viewers of two Spanish radio and TV stations. In six episodes, we will review these top choices. At the end of each part, we refer to one of the six choices we previously wrote about in this blog.
The Altamira cave is the jewel in a region of Northern Spain where the earliest figurative cave art has been found. Archaeologists initially did not believe it when, in 1878, Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola surprised the world with a discovery that completely overturned the history of ancient art from long before our era. Experts reacted with a mixture of wonder and strong disbelief when they stood deep inside the cave face to face with the brilliant figurative art on the rock surfaces. It took no less than 25 years before scholars agreed that the art was real and at least 11,000 years old. Perhaps even 36,000 years. And the artists: Neanderthals.
Another reason why the art in the Altamira cave captures the imagination so much is that it has been so well preserved. Long ago, falling rocks blocked the entrance of the cave system from the outside world. Therefore, weather conditions had no negative influence all that time. But archaeologists were most surprised by the technical ingenuity that Neanderthals already possessed back then. Various tools used by the painters were found in the cave. In particular, the discovery of blowpipes made from hollow bird bones, which created an airbrush effect, indicated advanced thinking.
Unfortunately, the public can no longer visit the cave. Their presence turned out to be harmful to the quality of the paintings. Fortunately, an extensive museum and a replica of the cave make up for this to some extent. This way, people can still marvel at the copies of these historic works of art.
Other discoveries in caves in northern Spain have over the years revealed much more early and high-quality painting. Currently, 17 such caves have been found in the coastal provinces of Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Country. Some, often more abstract, rock paintings are estimated to be 40,000 years old. Since the discoveries in the 270-meter-long Altamira cave system, its unique importance has only grown. Feature films, music, and special museums in Madrid, Munich, and Japan underline how much the Altamira art continues to fascinate internationally.
Earlier in this blog, we wrote about number 12 on the list, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. See here.
