Cueva Antón facts for kids

Cueva Antón is a very important archaeological site in southeast Spain. An archaeological site is a place where people find old things. These finds help us learn about human history. This cave is in the Region of Murcia. It is about 60 kilometers from the city of Cartagena. The Río Mula river helped form the cave.

Long ago, during the Middle Palaeolithic period, Neanderthals lived here. Neanderthals were an ancient type of human. Cueva Antón became famous in 2010. This was because a special shell was found there. The shell was at least 43,000 years old. It had orange color on it. Scientists think this color was used for art or symbols. This discovery, along with similar finds from the Cave of Los Aviones, was very exciting. They were the first examples of Neanderthal jewelry found in Europe. Modern humans, called Homo sapiens, came to Spain much later. Cueva Antón is also known as the last place where Neanderthals lived.

About the Cave

The cave is made of a type of rock called Eocene limestone. It sits at the bottom of a tall cliff. This cliff is about 25 meters high. The Río Mula river flows right by it. The bottom of the cave was filled with about four meters of dirt and old layers. These layers held many clues about the past.

See also

In Spanish: Cueva Antón para niños