Pyrenees cave reveals prehistoric copper mining over 4,000 years
Updated
Updated · Livescience.com · May 5
Pyrenees cave reveals prehistoric copper mining over 4,000 years
7 articles · Updated · Livescience.com · May 5
At 2,235 metres in Girona near the French border, archaeologists found nearly 200 green mineral fragments, charcoal, fireplaces, ceramics, animal bones and human remains.
A Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology study says the rock was likely malachite brought into the cave and heated deliberately, with the most intensive occupation dated to 3600-2400 BC.
Researchers say this is the first evidence of sustained high-mountain prehistoric occupation in the Pyrenees, suggesting the region was integrated into mobility and resource-use networks; excavations and mineral confirmation will continue.
Was this high-altitude cave a simple mining camp or a sacred site for rituals involving metal and death?
How was knowledge of this remote copper site passed down for four millennia without any written language?
Cave 338: Uncovering 5,500 Years of Intensive Copper Smelting and Rituals in the High Pyrenees
Overview
A landmark 2026 study revealed Cave 338 in the Pyrenees as Europe's oldest high-altitude mining camp, with human presence dating back 6,000 years and peak copper processing between 5,500 and 3,000 years ago. Miners sourced malachite ore from nearby and distant locations, transporting it over rugged terrain to the site, where they used advanced hearth techniques under challenging conditions. The discovery also uncovered human remains suggesting funerary use and symbolic artifacts like a shell pendant linking the site to Mediterranean trade networks. This finding reshapes our view of the Pyrenees as a vital resource hub and highlights the complex social and technological adaptations of prehistoric mountain communities.