Gorham's Cave facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gorham's Cave |
|
|---|---|
View of the Alboran Sea from inside Gorham's Cave, Gibraltar
|
|
| Depth | 18 metres (59 ft) |
| Discovery | 1907 |
| Geology | Limestone |
| Official name | Gorham's Cave Complex |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii |
| Designated | 2016 (40th session) |
| Reference no. | 1500 |
| State Party | United Kingdom |
| Region | Europe |
Gorham's Cave is a famous cave in Gibraltar, a British territory. It's known for being one of the last places where Neanderthals lived in Europe. Even though it's called a "sea-level cave," it's not a true sea cave.
The cave is part of a bigger area called the Gorham's Cave complex. This complex includes three other important caves: Vanguard Cave, Hyaena Cave, and Bennett's Cave. Together, these four caves are so special that they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the only World Heritage Site in Gibraltar.
Gorham's Cave is located on the southeastern side of the Rock of Gibraltar, near Governor's Beach. Long ago, about 55,000 years ago, people lived here. At that time, the cave was about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the sea. But because the sea level has changed over thousands of years, it's now only a few meters from the Mediterranean Sea.
Contents
How Gorham's Cave Was Found
The cave is named after Captain A. Gorham. He found it in 1907. Captain Gorham was exploring a crack at the back of a sea cavern. He wrote his name and the date inside the cave using lamp-black. That's how the cave got its name.
After Captain Gorham's discovery, the cave seemed to be forgotten for a while. However, a local historian and cave explorer named George Palao remembers seeing another name, "J. J. Davies 1943," written on the cave wall. This shows that others visited the cave later on.
What Gorham's Cave Looks Like
Gorham's Cave formed in limestone, a type of rock that was created during the Jurassic period. The cave is about 100 meters (328 feet) long. Its entrance is quite tall, about 35 meters (115 feet) high.
As you go further inside, the cave gets narrower. It also makes a sharp turn of about 90 degrees. From the entrance of the cave, you can see a beautiful view of the Alboran Sea. Scientists believe that the cave might be even longer than we know, and future explorations could reveal more of it.
Gorham's Cave: A UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Gorham's Cave complex is a very important UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means it's a place recognized globally for its special cultural or natural value. The complex includes Gorham's Cave and three other nearby caves: Vanguard Cave, Hyaena Cave, and Bennett's Cave.
In 2010, there was a big effort to get the Gorham's Cave complex recognized by UNESCO. Professor Clive Finlayson, who leads the Gibraltar Museum, helped guide this effort. The first step was to get the complex added to the United Kingdom's list of possible World Heritage Sites. This list is updated every ten years.
In 2011, the land where Gorham's Cave is located changed hands. The UK Ministry of Defence gave the land to the government of Gibraltar. This was part of a larger agreement where Gibraltar also built new houses for the Ministry of Defence.
Finally, in May 2012, the Gorham's Cave complex was one of two sites chosen by the UK to be put forward to UNESCO. On July 15, 2016, UNESCO officially named the Gorham's Cave complex a World Heritage Site. It is the only one in Gibraltar, making it a very special place.
Images for kids
-
The scratched floor of Gorham's Cave
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Cueva de Gorham para niños
