Jakarta –
An archaeological find has emerged in Poland, at a place called Jaskinia Raj or nicknamed Heaven’s Cave, a prominent archaeological site in the Świętokrzyskie region.
Researchers have discovered hundreds of prehistoric animal bones, including the remains of cave lions and mammoths, making the cave one of the most important sites in the country.
The Paradise Cave, about which little was known, was the focus of recent research by Małgorzata Kot of the Faculty of Archeology of the University of Warsaw. Although research was carried out in the 1960s after the discovery of this cave, there has been no further research in decades.
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“What was discovered then was a large number of animal bones and traces of Neanderthals who had visited this place at least twice,” Kot said.
“Since then, nothing has happened in terms of research. However, over 60 years, laboratory methods have developed so much that we will be able to say more about the findings and the history of this place,” he continued.
The cave has provided a fascinating glimpse into the prehistoric past, including finds such as bones of bears, cave lions, mammoths, and deer antler fragments. In fact, researchers have documented around 200 large, well-preserved bones in recent days.
As part of this research project, the team plans to analyze climate and environmental changes in southern Poland from about 60,000 to 14,500 years ago. It is hoped that this research will provide insight into human settlement strategies during this period.
“We can now assess that not only Neanderthals but also modern humans lived in Raj Cave. This has never been recorded before,” said Kot.
Even though the excavation area only reaches a few square meters, the discoveries that have been revealed are very encouraging for researchers. The process of collecting and cleaning soil samples is underway at the European Center for Geological Education, promising more information about the history of the cave.
Additionally, the research team was interested in testing hypotheses surrounding the use of deer antlers by Neanderthals. “According to the hypothesis, Neanderthals used the collected antlers to create barricades and protection for cave doors. We will try to verify whether this is possible,” said Kot.
Heaven’s Cave was formed about 360 million years ago in limestone rock that was once on the bottom of a shallow sea. The presence of around 47,000 stalactites in this cave is monumental evidence of extraordinary time and geological evolution.
Ongoing research at Paradise Cave will hopefully provide new insights into Polish history and human development in the region. As excavations continue, the hope is that the cave will continue to uncover still-unrevealed secrets of the past. This was reported by Newsweek, Monday (3/4/2024).
*) This article was written by Fadhila Khairina Fachri, participant in the Merdeka Campus Certified Internship Program at detikcom.
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2024-03-04 08:17:40
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