Cova Foradà
RegionProvince of Valencia
Coordinates38°52′59″N 0°05′27″W / 38.8831°N 0.0907°W / 38.8831; -0.0907
TypeIntermittent settlement
History
PeriodsMiddle Paleolithic – Bronze Age

Cova Foradà (or Cova Foradada)[1] is an archaeological site consisting of a cave with remains of Neanderthals near Oliva, in the Province of Valencia, Spain.[2] The most complete skeleton of a Neanderthal ever found on the Iberian peninsula was found there in 2010. One of the Neanderthals whose remains were found in the cave used a toothpick to alleviate pain in his teeth caused by periodontal disease and dental wear.

Location and description

The karst cave is located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southeast of the village of Oliva,[3] at 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) from the coast of the Mediterranean, and archaeological excavations have taken place since 1977.[4] The cave is found in a low hill, one of a group of hills called the Muntanyetes de Oliva, the last part of the Serra de Mustalla before the floodplain that ends at the coast.[5] It has been occupied since the Middle Paleolithic, including in the Mousterian and Mesolithic periods, and in the Bronze Age.[2] Its environment was rich and varied, with mountains on one side and lagoons on the other.[3]

Archaeological finds

A maxilla (almost complete, with a number of teeth), a molar, a fibula, and four fragments of a cranium belonging to two humans were found between 2000 and 2003, in what appeared to be a layer from the Mousterian. All fragments except for the molar were from an adult, who died at between 35 and 45 years old; the molar was from a child of around 2.5 years old. The maxilla showed periodontal disease and heavy dental wear, which must have caused considerable pain; there was a significant gap (8.05 mm for the canine) between the teeth and the alveolar bone. The person attempted to alleviate the discomfort with a toothpick, as evidenced by two grooves on the distal surface of two of the remaining teeth: "the habit of using a tool to pick the teeth may be considered early evidence of medical treatment to alleviate sore gums".[2]

In 2010, in further excavations on the same spot where the maxilla was found, an almost complete skeleton of a Neanderthal was found, the most complete skeleton (with the bones still attached to the spine) ever found on the Iberian peninsula.[3]

In 2019, it was reported that archeologists found a necklace featuring eagle claws, which suggests symbolic purposes.[6]

Research

Excavations have been led by José Aparicio Pérez, for the archaeological department of the Provincial Government of Valencia.[7]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ The Châtelperronian Neanderthals of Cova Foradada (Calafell, Spain) used imperial eagle phalanges for symbolic purposes. A. Rodríguez-Hidalgo, J. I. Morales, A. Cebrià, L. A. Courtenay, J. L. Fernández-Marchena, G. García-Argudo, J. Marín, P. Saladié, M. Soto, J.-M. Tejero, and J.-M. Fullola. Science Advances, 1 Nov 2019: Vol. 5, no. 11, doi:10.1126/sciadv.aax1984
  2. 1 2 3 Lozano et al. 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "Hallada en la Cova Foradà" 2010.
  4. ↑ Gómez‐Merino 2018.
  5. ↑ Aparicio Pérez 2015.
  6. ↑ Eagle Talon Jewelry Suggests Neanderthals Were Capable of Human-Like Thought. Megan Gannon, Smithsonian Magazine. 1 November 2019.
  7. ↑ Rubio 2007.

Bibliography

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