Being lucky with the guide

 We are backtracking to get to the caves.  To be honest, the back route to the caves is fairly spectacular in themselves in a , ooh, look, rolling countryside and distant mountains sort of a way.  We will pause to look every so often.











Cave paintings.  Just, wow! There is something about Prehistory which is just so vast and sparse in evidence.  The cave paintings are a glimpse of the minds that seem so distant.  It is even better when you know that a lot seem to be teenagers daubing in a less than solemn way.  Enough of that, welcome to Altamira.









In 1868, Modesto Cubillas discovered these, the first cave paintings to be rediscovered in Europe. The caves are about 1000m.  The finds suggest it was occupied between 18500 and 14000 years ago.  About 13000 years ago a rockfall closed the complex and preserved the works.  Human occupation was limited to the cave mouth, although paintings were created throughout the length of the cave. The artists used charcoal and ochre or hematite to create the images.  They also exploited the natural contours of the cave walls to give their subjects a three-dimensional effect. The Polychrome Ceiling depicts a herd of extinct steppe bison, two horses, a large doe, and possibly a wild boar.








During the 1970s and 2000s, the paintings were damaged by the carbon dioxide and water vapour in the breath of the large number of visitors. Altamira was completely closed to the public in 1977, and reopened to limited access in 1982. Very few visitors were allowed in per day, resulting in a three-year waiting list. After green mould began to appear on some paintings in 2002, the caves were closed to public access.





A replica cave and museum were built nearby and completed in 2001 by Manuel Franquelo and Sven Nebel, reproducing the cave and its art. Entering it does feel very museumee but it is about a close as you are going to get so live with it.  In Asturias they have recreated several caves - which, unlike Altamira, is deeper inland and feels, because they have less visitors, a better experience.  https://www.cultura.gob.es/mnaltamira/home.html



Four hours ago Monica gave it three stars and I am not sure why.  ‘It is a recreation, very well done but a recreation although the reasons for this are obvious. The entrance fee is 3 euros and you can choose whether it is a guided tour or on your own. If it is guided it means being lucky with the guide you get and the enthusiasm or desire you have that day.’   Diego went 3 stars ‘It is a good reproduction of the Altamira cave with all its drawings, but it disappointed me a little because it is still an imitation, which clearly is not a real cave.’  You do wonder why they seemed a bit surprise.







Onwards tomorrow.


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