Cueva de la Pileta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cueva de la Pileta |
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| Location | Benaoján |
| Discovery | 1905 |
| Geology | limestone |
| Entrances | 1 |
The Cueva de la Pileta (which means Cave of the Pool in English) is a famous cave in the province of Málaga, Spain. It is known for its amazing cave paintings and was first discovered in 1905.
Exploring the Cave
The cave was first explored by a French priest and archaeologist named Henri Breuil. He came to Spain because a British officer, Colonel Verner, had reported this important cave.
A Spanish farmer named José Bullón found the cave in 1905. He was looking for bat guano (which is bat droppings used as fertilizer) near a place called the "abyss of the bats." He found human remains and drawings on the cave walls. He thought the drawings were made by Moors.
Colonel Verner explored the cave himself and shared his findings. This made the cave famous around the world. Breuil then identified almost fifty drawings, some of which looked like symbols. He stayed for two months, with money from the Prince of Monaco.
New Discoveries
Later studies of skeletons and pottery found in the cave showed that the cave must have a better entrance. The remains found were very old, going back to the Neolithic period (the New Stone Age). Some wall drawings and skeletons were thought to be more recent. These might have come from people who got lost inside the cave.
In 1924, the son of José Bullón found a better entrance. This is the entrance people use today. He also discovered a new chamber that led to more areas called "Las Galerias Nuevas." These galleries had many beautiful stalactites. They connected to parts of the cave that were already known. One of these galleries is 350 meters long and leads to a very deep chasm.
In 1978, a husband and wife team explored the cave again, including the newly found galleries. They found 134 paintings. However, some of the drawings Breuil had found earlier were no longer visible. It's possible there are more ancient paintings hidden by flowstone, which is a type of rock formation. Scientists believe the larger paintings are over 20,000 years old!
Visiting Today
Today, the Cueva de la Pileta is managed by the family of José Bullón, who first found the cave. They allow groups of no more than 20 people to visit. If you want to go, you need to make a reservation ahead of time.
Images for kids
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entrance to Cueva_de_la_Pileta.
See also
In Spanish: Cueva de la Pileta para niños
