Page 115 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

ASTURIAS AND C ANT ABRIA  113

Discovery of the Cave VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
In 1868 a hunter discovered the entrance
to the cave. Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola Practical Information
began to investigate it in 1875, but it Cantabria. Road Map F1. Museo
was his daughter María who found de Altamira: Santillana del Mar.
the paintings in 1879. Tel 942 81 88 15. Open May–Oct:
9:30am–8pm Tue–Sat, 9:30am–
3pm Sun & hols; Nov–Apr:
9:30am–6pm Tue–Sat, 9:30am–
3pm Sun & hols. Closed Mon,
1 & 6 Jan, 1 May, 24–25 & 31 Dec.
& During peak times, such as
July and August, booking in
advance is recommended.
∑ museodealtamira.es

Visiting the Museum
Apart from the 20-minute tour, visitors can
also take part in workshops entitled “hunting”
and “fire”, which are designed for both adults
and children. The new cave is an impressive
replica of part of the original cave, and helps
to put the paintings into context for visitors.

. Daily Life
The museum rooms
present the daily life
of people in the
Palaeolithic era. This
exhibit demonstrates
fishing and hunting
techniques, and the
methods by which
hides were tanned.
Main Map of the Cueva de Altamira
entrance
The highlight of the cave is the chamber known as the Great
Ceiling, situated close to the entrance, which has the greatest
number of animals painted on its ceiling. Most impressive is
the huge hind, measuring
2.25 m (7 ft) in length. Entrance
The paintings in this
section (marked in green
on the diagram) are 1
reproduced in the
museum in the new cave. 2 3 6
Key
1 Cave with paintings 7
5
2 Signs and lines 4
3 Horses
4 Deer 8
5 Bison and deer
6 Deer and goat 9
7 Signs and lines
Hunting Workshop 8 Signs and lines 0
Here you can learn about the technology 0 metres 25
used by the Altamira hunters to hunt 9 Black quadruped
bison, as well as how to make and 0 Human figures 0 yards 25
handle your own prehistoric weapons.

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