SPAIN

Around the World November 1, 2010

Neanderthals surely needed places to rest their weary bones. Anthropologists think they've found one in Esquilleu Cave.
SHARE:

SPAIN: Neanderthals surely needed places to rest their weary bones. Anthropologists think they've found one in Esquilleu Cave, which has a hearth and evidence—in the form of phytoliths, tiny silicate particles that naturally occur in certain plants—of beds of grass. The repeatedly refreshed grass piles could have been both beds and sofas—comfortable places for sleeping, preparing food, making stone tools, or just lounging in front of a fire. 

  • Features May/June 2025

    A Passion for Fruit

    Exploring the surprisingly rich archaeological record of berries, melons…and more

    Read Article
    © BnF, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais/Art Resource, NY
  • Features March/April 2025

    An Egyptian Temple Reborn

    By removing centuries of soot, researchers have uncovered the stunning decoration of a sanctuary dedicated to the heavens

    Read Article
    Painted lotus-leaf capitals after cleaning in the entrance hall of the temple of Khnum, Esna, Egypt
    Ahmed Emam/© Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
  • Features January/February 2025

    Top 10 Discoveries of 2024

    ARCHAEOLOGY magazine reveals the year’s most exciting finds

    Read Article
    Courtesy the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
  • Features January/February 2025

    Dancing Days of the Maya

    In the mountains of Guatemala, murals depict elaborate performances combining Catholic and Indigenous traditions

    Read Article
    Photograph by R. Słaboński