Genista Caves facts for kids

The Genista Caves are a group of fascinating caves found deep under Windmill Hill in Gibraltar, which is a British Overseas Territory. These caves became famous in the mid-1860s when scientists discovered old bones from different animals and even human remains inside them. The name "Genista" is a clever play on words, honoring Captain Frederick Brome, the person who first explored these caves.

Discovering the Caves

Back in the 1860s, a man named Captain Frederick Brome started digging into the Genista I Cave. Captain Brome was the Governor of the Military Prison on Windmill Hill. This area is an ancient platform at the southern end of Gibraltar. It has a system of cracks and caves, known as the Genista Caves.

Captain Brome did such a good job exploring that important scientists, like Hugh Falconer and George Busk from famous groups like the Royal Society, came to Gibraltar to see the cave for themselves. Captain Brome even used prisoners from the military prison to help him dig.

Genista I was the biggest and most important cave he found. His team dug deep into this crack in the rock. They found many old bones, some of which are thought to be the oldest ever found in Gibraltar.

What Was Found Inside?

The animal bones found in Genista I included many interesting creatures. These were animals like the brown bear, wild cat, lynx, leopard, spotted hyena, horse, narrow-nosed rhinoceros, wild boar, red deer, aurochs (a type of wild cattle), and ibex (a type of wild goat).

The exploration of these caves began in 1862. This was because a decision was made to make the military prison bigger and build a large water tank. While digging for the water tank, they found the first and most important cave.

George Busk, one of the visiting scientists, wrote in 1868 about the discovery. He hoped the caves would always be known by the name given to them. This name honored Captain Brome, the person who found and explored them.

The Name "Genista"

Busk was playfully referring to Genista, which is the Latin name for the broom shrub. This was a clever way to link the cave's name to Captain Brome's last name.

Captain Brome was very involved in the digging work. He had a great vision and intuition when it came to caves. He described how he first found the crack that led to Genista I:

He noticed an open crack, about six feet long and five inches wide, between two large blocks of limestone. He thought it looked unusual and pointed it out to Lieutenant Buckle. The lieutenant thought it was just another crack, as the Rock of Gibraltar had many. However, after digging deeper and blasting some rock, they found a few bones in a small crack. These bones were mixed up and mostly broken.

Captain Brome's Important Work

Captain Brome was a very thorough researcher. He earned the respect of the scientists of his time. George Busk praised Captain Brome's efforts. He said that Captain Brome was an "able, energetic and vigilant observer."

Busk noted that Captain Brome, with the help of prisoners, worked from April 1863 to December 1868. During these five years, he successfully explored the caves. He also collected many valuable items that were important for public interest.

Captain Brome also discovered Genista II, which was a smaller cave. Later, Genista III and Genista IV were found. All these caves showed some signs that people might have lived in them. However, Genista IV was very hard to reach. Its entrance was forty feet down a cliff face of the Rock of Gibraltar. Because of this, scientists think it was more likely a place for refuge rather than a place to live.

Most of the floors in the Genista Caves are covered in stalagmites. Investigators found human remains, pottery, and broken bones inside. One idea is that the caves were first used as homes. After people left them, they might have been used again as burial places.