Altamira cave paintings to be opened to the public once again

Guardian (UK) ^ | Wednesday 26 February 2014 | Ashifa Kassam

[SunkenCiv]

For 12 years, visitors wanting to see Spain's prized prehistoric Altamira cave paintings have had to settle for a replica in a museum a few hundred feet away.

But from Thursday, small groups of visitors will again be allowed in the cave, which has been described as the Sistine Chapel of paleolithic art, as part of an experiment to determine whether the paintings can support the presence of sightseers.

The vast cavern complex, in the Cantabria region of northern Spain, was made a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1985. It is covered in paintings dated to between 14,000 and 20,000 years ago of animals including European bison and bulls.

From now until August, on a randomly selected day of the week, visitors to the replica cave in the Museo de Altamira will be invited to enter a draw; five will be chosen to take a guided tour including 37 minutes inside the cave. Visitors will have to put on special suits, masks and shoes before entering the site.

Up to 192 lucky winners are expected to visit the cave in total. While they admire the red and black paintings on the limestone walls, researchers will measure their impact on the cave's temperature, humidity, microbiological contamination and CO2 levels.

The results will be used to determine whether or not the cave can be reopened to the public, a controversial decision that has pitted the local tourist economy against government scientists.

[SunkenCiv]

The paintings are thought to be between 14,000 and 20,000 years old. Photograph: Esteban Cobo/EPA

[dfwgator]

I recall when I was small
How I spent my days alone
The busy world was not for me
So I went and found my own
I would climb the garden wall
With a candle in my hand
I’d hide inside a hall of rock and sand
On the stone an ancient hand
In a faded yellow-green
Made alive a worldly wonder
Often told but never seen
Now and ever bound to labor
On the sea and in the sky
Every man and beast appeared
A friend as real as i

Chorus:
Before the fall when they wrote it on the wall
When there wasn’t even any hollywood
They heard the call
And they wrote it on the wall
For you and me we understood

Can it be this sad design
Could be the very same
A wooly man without a face
And a beast without a name
Nothin’ here but history
Can you see what has been done
Memory rush over me
Now I step into the sun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAiHhueI3M8

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks, that reeled in some years.

[kanawa]

First thing that came to mind.

[Captainpaintball]

There I was thinking I was going to be clever...and it took all of TWO posts...

[Fester Chugabrew]

Ditto!

[a fool in paradise]

visitors to the replica cave in the Museo de Altamira

In 2000-4000 years will anyone know that the second cave was created as a replica of the originals?

[SunkenCiv]

;’)