Pyrenees Cave Yields 5,500-Year-Old Copper Clues and Child Remains at 2,235 Meters
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · Jun 5
Pyrenees Cave Yields 5,500-Year-Old Copper Clues and Child Remains at 2,235 Meters
1 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Jun 5
Summary
Archaeologists found 23 hearths and green mineral fragments in Cave 338 in the eastern Pyrenees, pointing to possible copper processing during repeated visits between about 5,500 and 4,000 years ago.
A 6-square-meter excavation identified four occupation layers, with overlapping but distinct hearths showing the cave was reused over roughly 2,000 years rather than occupied continuously.
Human remains from the third layer — a child's finger bone and baby tooth from at least one roughly 11-year-old — suggest the high-altitude cave may also contain prehistoric burials deeper inside.
At 2,235 meters above sea level, the site challenges the view that prehistoric groups only passed briefly through mountain zones and may rank among the earliest high-altitude mining camps yet found.
Researchers still need to confirm whether the green mineral is malachite and plan further excavation this summer to trace its source and document the cave's full sequence.
Why did ancient people bring children to a remote mountain cave to mine copper and bury their dead?
What secrets of survival and ritual are hidden in Europe's highest prehistoric mountain camps?
Cave 338 Discovery Redefines Prehistoric High-Altitude Industry and Society in the Pyrenees
Overview
On June 3, 2026, researchers announced the discovery of Cave 338, a prehistoric site high in the eastern Pyrenees. This site, located at 2,235 meters above sea level, has revealed evidence of repeated human activity over 2,000 years, starting about 5,500 years ago. The findings challenge old beliefs by showing that ancient people not only visited but also worked and lived in these mountains for long periods. Cave 338 is now seen as a key place for early copper mining and processing, reshaping our understanding of how prehistoric communities adapted to and thrived in high-altitude environments.