Cueva Victoria, Spain
N 37° 37.954 W 000° 49.254
30S E 692281 N 4167282
Cueva Victoria has been dated at 2-3 million years.
Waymark Code: WM49WR
Location: Spain
Date Posted: 07/27/2008
Views: 44
"We are studying the origin of the Cave and the age of the fossils. Our results indicate that the cave was formed during the late Pliocene between 2 and 3 million years ago. The formation of the cave was probably strongly influenced by the circulation of acid fluids through the cracks and joints present in the limestone.
These dilution processes generated big rooms in the cave and a residual clay deposit called terra rosa, which represents the lower cave deposits. Once the cave was opened to the outside it became filled with sediments supplied by rain and gravity into the cave."
excert from the link
Presently, groups of volunteers through Earthwatch.org are helping Dr. Gilbert in the research of the cave. I was fortunate to attend a dig early in July, 2008. We found many fossilized bones that have been previously dated as old as 1.6 million years. The cave was inhabited by ancestral hyena and the bones we mostly find are birds, mice, rabbits, bats, etc.
While I did not see any stalactites nor stalagmites, there is a lot of flowstone in the cave made of calcite. Also, in the late 1800's, early 1900's, the cave was mined for the manganese that is there. We were mainly concerned with the braccia deposits, as that is where the fossils now lay.
Although the land is not privately owned, it is kept locked to keep vandels from damaging the fossil digs.
Type of Land: Local Park
Managed By: Luis Gibert Beotas
Contact Info: Contact through the web link..
Website: [Web Link]
Type of Cave: Karst Cave
Price of Admission: 0.00 (listed in local currency)
Contains Stalactites: Not Listed
Contains Stalagmites: Not Listed
Contains Bats: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
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