Archaeologists in Catalonia, northeastern Spain, have unearthed human and animal remains and ornamental objects spanning from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. The Cova dels Xaragalls cave, located in Vimbodí i Poblet, has unveiled a rich, prehistoric burial site that dates back from 7,000 to 3,000 years ago. The extended usage of the cave, over such an extensive and enduring timeframe, may provide abundant insights into the evolution of prehistoric society, especially regarding death and burial rituals.
The most recent excavation campaign at the site took place from December 4 to December 22, 2023, led by Dr. Miguel Ángel Moreno, Dr. Josep Vallverdú and Alfredo Suesta, who are researchers at IPHES-CERCA. Also taking part were Dr. Antonio Rodríguez Hidalgo, a professor in the Department of Prehistory and Archaeology at the University of Seville, and an associate researcher at IPHES-CERCA.
A human skull discovered in the Cova dels Xaragalls burial cave in Catalonia. (Antonio Rodríguez-Hidalgo / University of Sevilla / IPHES-CERCA)
Was the Catalonia Burial Cave a Haunt for Neanderthals?
“We know that this cavity was used as a burial cave, it was a cemetery in which the bodies of the deceased were deposited,” explained Antonio Rodríguez Hidalgo in a press release published by the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES). “It was used for this [purpose] for millennia, which generated a large deposit of human corpses.”
The excavation revealed a significant…
