In a startling discovery, scientists have identified sandals buried within a bat cave in southern Spain that may lay claim to being the oldest footwear ever found in Europe. The estimate places these sandals at a remarkable 6,200 years old.
This remarkable find came to light at the Cueva de los Murciélagos, commonly known as the "cave of the bats," located near the southern city of Granada. These artifacts, including baskets and tools, were initially uncovered in the 19th century at a burial site used by hunter-gatherer communities. However, recent investigations reveal that these items are considerably older than previously believed, as reported in a recent article published in the Science Advances journal.
The research utilized radiocarbon dating to ascertain the age of 76 items, among which were 22 sandals crafted from esparto, a type of grass that has been utilized in crafts throughout the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa for millennia. In a complex and skilled process, ancient humans would crush the grass to create twine, used for weaving baskets, bags, and sandals. Drying the grass for 20 to 30 days was a vital step before rehydrating it for 24 hours to make it pliable.
Comparatively, similar sandals found in Armenia have been dated to approximately 5,500 years old, while the footwear worn by "Ötzi the Iceman," a prehistoric man discovered in Italy in 1991, is believed to be around 5,300 years old.
Francisco Martínez Sevilla, the study's leader from Spain's University of Alcalá, noted that the intricate craftsmanship of the basketry challenges conventional assumptions about prehistoric communities in southern Europe before the advent of agriculture. He also emphasized that the Cueva de los Murciélagos represents a unique site in Europe for studying the organic materials of prehistoric populations.
These ancient sandals, interestingly, do not feature laces. However, some of them have a single braid affixed to the center, which could be tied around the wearer's ankle. In contrast, later sandals found across Europe were crafted using various materials, not solely grass.
The study highlights that this collection of sandals represents the earliest and most extensive assortment of prehistoric footwear discovered in both the Iberian Peninsula and Europe, a find unparalleled in other regions.
Interestingly, while some of the sandals exhibited signs of wear and tear, others appeared unused, potentially created for individuals who had passed away.
The cave served as a repository for burial goods spanning an extensive period of early human history, including artifacts that may date back up to 9,500 years.
This ongoing research project involved a team of 20 experts from various disciplines, including geologists and historians.
One crucial factor contributing to the preservation of these plant-based tools in the Cueva de los Murciélagos is its low humidity and constant cooling wind. These environmental conditions have played a significant role in preserving these invaluable relics, much like in caves around the Dead Sea in the Middle East, where numerous important archaeological discoveries have occurred.
Although the bat cave's treasures were originally uncovered in the 19th century, this recent study marks the first comprehensive attempt to unveil their true age and significance.
The site yielded not only sandals and baskets but also ceramic fragments, flint and quartz flakes, a polished ax head, ornamental boar's teeth, and stone bracelets. Many of these items are now on display in museums in Madrid and Granada. Nevertheless, the precise dating of these items remained uncertain until the advent of radiocarbon dating tests in the 1970s.
What has scientists most excited are the perishable, plant-based items like the sandals and baskets, which are seldom found in any state of preservation. The research team noted that plant material culture offers unique insights into the lives of prehistoric societies, emphasizing the importance of considering perishable materials in archaeological research.
Remarkably, the survival of these vital discoveries almost didn't come to pass. Miners entered the Cueva de los Murciélagos in 1857, unknowingly stumbling upon partially mummified remains. Unfortunately, much of the plant-based tools and baskets found alongside them were destroyed and scattered due to mining activities. The remaining artifacts were distributed among the nearby village of Albuñol.
A decade later, archaeologist Manuel de Góngora y Martínez visited the cave, interviewed miners and villagers, and managed to preserve numerous items for future generations. However, the original context and location of these tools were lost forever, depriving archaeologists of vital contextual information. The human remains, sadly, were never recovered.
In spite of the mining activities, the Cueva de los Murciélagos assemblage stands as one of the oldest and best-preserved collections of hunter-gatherer basketry in southern Europe, according to the research team.
What implications do you think the discovery of these ancient sandals and plant-based artifacts in the Cueva de los Murciélagos may have on our understanding of prehistoric societies in Europe and their technological capabilities? How might this finding reshape our view of early human communities prior to the arrival of agriculture in southern Europe?
- Information was discovered on NBC News
