Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain

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Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Replica of the Cave of Altamira at the National Archaeological Museum (Madrid)
Location	Northern Spain
Includes	Altamira  [es] Tito Bustillo  [es] Llonín  [es] Chufín  [es] Monte Castillo: El Castillo Monte Castillo: Las Monedas Monte Castillo: La Pasiega Monte Castillo: Las Chimeneas  [es] La Garma  [es] Santimamiñe  [es] Altxerri
Criteria	Cultural: (i), (iii)
Reference	310bis
Inscription	1985 (9th Session)
Extensions	2008
Buffer zone	2,234.706 ha (5,522.08 acres)
Coordinates	43°22′39″N 4°07′21″W / 43.3774°N 4.1225°W / 43.3774; -4.1225Coordinates: 43°22′39″N 4°07′21″W / 43.3774°N 4.1225°W / 43.3774; -4.1225
Location of Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain in Earth

Map of Paleolithic cave art sites in the Franco-Cantabrian region.

The Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain (Cueva de Altamira y arte rupestre paleolítico del Norte de España) is a grouping of 18 caves of northern Spain, which together represent the apogee of Upper Paleolithic cave art in Europe between 35,000 and 11,000 years ago (Aurignacian, Gravettian, Solutrean, Magdalenian, Azilian). In 2008, they were collectively designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Chief among these caves is Altamira, located within the town of Santillana del Mar in Cantabria. It remains one of the most important painting cycles of prehistory, originating in the Magdalenian and Solutrean periods of the Upper Paleolithic. This cave's artistic style represents the Franco-cantabrian school, characterized by the realism of its figural representation. Altamira Cave was declared a World Heritage Site in 1985. In 2008, the World Heritage Site was expanded to include 17 additional caves located in three autonomous communities of northern Spain: Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country.

List of caves[]

Code	Name	Location	Coordinates	Buffer zone
310-001	Cueva de Altamira	Cantabria, Santillana del Mar	43°22′57″N 04°07′13″W / 43.38250°N 4.12028°W / 43.38250; -4.12028	16 ha
310-002		Asturias, Candamo, San Román	43°27′21″N 6°4′21″W / 43.45583°N 6.07250°W / 43.45583; -6.07250	100 ha
310-003	Cueva de Tito Bustillo	Asturias, Ribadesella	43°27′39″N 5°4′4″W / 43.46083°N 5.06778°W / 43.46083; -5.06778	243 ha
310-004		Asturias, Cabrales	43°19′5″N 4°52′30″W / 43.31806°N 4.87500°W / 43.31806; -4.87500	11.3 ha
310-005		Asturias, Peñamellera Alta	43°19′50″N 4°38′43″W / 43.33056°N 4.64528°W / 43.33056; -4.64528	17.4 ha
310-006		Asturias, Ribadedeva	43°23′51″N 4°31′58″W / 43.39750°N 4.53278°W / 43.39750; -4.53278	69.4 ha
310-007	Cueva de Chufín	Cantabria, Rionansa	43°17′26″N 4°27′29″W / 43.29056°N 4.45806°W / 43.29056; -4.45806	16.7 ha
310-008		Cantabria, San Felices de Buelna	43°15′40″N 4°1′47″W / 43.26111°N 4.02972°W / 43.26111; -4.02972	25 ha
310-009	Cueva de El Castillo	Cantabria Puente Viesgo, Cantabria	43°17′33″N 3��57′56″W / 43.2924°N 3.9655°W / 43.2924; -3.9655	69 ha
310-010	Cueva de Las Monedas	Cantabria, Puente Viesgo	43°17′20″N 3°58′03″W / 43.289°N 3.9675°W / 43.289; -3.9675	69 ha
310-011	Cueva de La Pasiega	Cantabria, Puente Viesgo	43°17′20″N 3°57′58″W / 43.289°N 3.966°W / 43.289; -3.966	69 ha
310-012	Cueva de Las Chimeneas	Cantabria Puente Viesgo	43°17′29″N 3°57′52″W / 43.2914°N 3.9644°W / 43.2914; -3.9644	69 ha
310-013		Cantabria,	43°23′17″N 3°54′44″W / 43.38806°N 3.91222°W / 43.38806; -3.91222	64 ha
310-014	Cueva de La Garma	Cantabria, Ribamontán al Monte	43°25′50″N 3°39′57″W / 43.43056°N 3.66583°W / 43.43056; -3.66583	100 ha
310-015		Cantabria, Ramales de la Victoria	43°14′44″N 3°27′08″W / 43.24556°N 3.45222°W / 43.24556; -3.45222	1374 ha
310-016	Cueva de Santimamiñe	País Vasco, Vizcaya, Cortézubi	43°20′47″N 2°38′12″W / 43.34639°N 2.63667°W / 43.34639; -2.63667	99 ha
310-017		País Vasco, Guipúzcoa, Deva	43°14′09″N 02°16′31″W / 43.23583°N 2.27528°W / 43.23583; -2.27528	14.6 ha
310-018	Cueva de Altxerri	País Vasco, Guipúzcoa, Aia	43°16′7″N 02°08′02″W / 43.26861°N 2.13389°W / 43.26861; -2.13389	15 ha

See also[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain.

• National Museum and Research Center of Altamira
• Caves in Cantabria
• Franco-Cantabrian region
• Art of the Upper Paleolithic
• List of Stone Age art

References[]

• Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain (unesco.org)
• Pike, A. W. G.; Hoffmann, D. L.; Garcia-Diez, M.; Pettitt, P. B.; Alcolea, J.; De Balbin, R.; Gonzalez-Sainz, C.; de las Heras, C.; Lasheras, J. A.; Montes, R.; Zilhao, J. (14 June 2012). "U-Series Dating of Paleolithic Art in 11 Caves in Spain". Science. 336 (6087): 1409–1413. Bibcode:2012Sci...336.1409P. doi:10.1126/science.1219957. PMID 22700921. S2CID 7807664.