Pyrenees Cave Yields 23 Hearths and Child Remains at 7,300 Feet, Challenging Prehistoric Mountain-Use Views
Updated
Updated · The Cool Down · Jun 11
Pyrenees Cave Yields 23 Hearths and Child Remains at 7,300 Feet, Challenging Prehistoric Mountain-Use Views
3 articles · Updated · The Cool Down · Jun 11
Summary
Cave 338 in the eastern Pyrenees produced 23 hearths, green mineral fragments and remains from at least one child, pointing to repeated prehistoric use at 2,235 meters.
Four occupation layers show people returned over roughly 2,000 years: the oldest charcoal dates to about 6,000 years ago, with the strongest evidence from 5,500 to 4,000 years ago and another hearth around 3,000 years ago.
Burned green fragments may be malachite, and researchers said their thermal alteration suggests deliberate fire-based processing rather than accidental burning—raising the possibility of an early high-altitude copper-working site.
A child's finger bone, a baby tooth, and pendants made from shell and brown bear tooth suggest the cave also had burial and symbolic roles, not just practical use.
The finds challenge the long-held view that high mountain zones were only briefly crossed by prehistoric groups, though researchers say the mineral identification remains preliminary and excavations will continue this summer.
This cave reveals a lost industry, but what other advanced knowledge did our high-altitude ancestors possess?
Was this ancient mountain cave a high-tech workshop, a sacred burial site, or something more complex?
Prehistoric High-Altitude Copper Processing at 2,235 Meters: The Cova 338 Discovery Reshapes Pyrenean and European Archaeology
Overview
Between 2021 and 2023, archaeological investigations in the Pyrenees led to the discovery of Cova 338, the highest-altitude prehistoric copper processing site found in the region. This finding challenges old beliefs about ancient human activity in mountain environments. Evidence from Cova 338 shows that prehistoric communities used sophisticated and systematic methods to process copper ore, especially during the Copper Age between 3600 and 2400 BC. The discovery reveals that these high-altitude areas were not just barriers but important parts of prehistoric life, showing advanced resource use and adaptability in challenging terrains.