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Cova Negra
Black and white photograph showing the entrance to a cave, with two people standing in front, looking at the camera
Cova Negra, 1928
Region Province of Valencia
Coordinates 38°57′54″N 0°29′47″W / 38.965046°N 0.496271°W / 38.965046; -0.496271
Type Intermittent settlement
History
Periods Mousterian

Cova Negra is an important archaeological site in Spain. It is near the town of Xàtiva in the Province of Valencia. This cave shows us that Neanderthals lived here a very long time ago. They stayed for short times during the Mousterian period.

Where is Cova Negra Located?

The cave is in a valley next to the Albaida river. A large area of 57 hectares around the cave is special. It was named a Cultural Heritage Site. This means it is a place with important history or culture that needs protection. Since 2006, it is also a Municipal Natural Site. This means the local government protects its natural beauty.

What Have Archaeologists Found at Cova Negra?

Scientists have found many interesting things at Cova Negra. The Neanderthals who lived here loved to eat birds! They found 247 bird remains from 18 different types. Doves and choughs were very popular. This shows that Neanderthals in this area hunted small, fast animals.

Neanderthal Bones and Remains

In 2013, a piece of an adult's skull bone was found. They also found a skull piece and a tooth from a child. By then, the cave had 25 pieces of Neanderthal remains. These pieces came from seven different individuals. Many of these remains were from children and teenagers.

How Old Are the Finds?

A study in 2019 helped us understand the age of Cova Negra. It showed that Neanderthals lived here between 273,000 and 146,000 years ago. This means people lived in this cave at the end of the Middle Pleistocene period. This makes the site even older than scientists first thought.

When Was Cova Negra Discovered?

The site was first found by a priest named G. Viñes in 1933.

Gallery

  • Útiles de sílex de la Cova Negra (Xàtiva). Paleolítico medio. Cultura Musteriense

    Silex tools found in the Cova Negra

  • Dos caras del parietal adulto de neandertal hallado en el yacimiento de Cova Negra (Xàtiva)

    Parts of parietal bone from an adult Neanderthal

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: La Cova Negra para niños

  • List of Neanderthal sites
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