The remains of a 100,000-year-old elephant discovered in Garraf

The remains are the first almost complete skeleton of proboscidea found in the massif of Garraf.
The remains are the first almost complete skeleton of proboscidea found in the massif of Garraf.
(06/08/2012)

The archaeological excavations conducted at the Rhinoʼs cave in Castelldefels, led by researchers from the Quaternary Research Group-SERP (Prehistoric Studies and Research Seminar) of the University of Barcelona, have discovered part of the skeleton of a young elephant, approximately younger than 7. These remains, which are about 100,000 years old, are the first almost complete skeleton of proboscidea (an order of large mammals that comprises the elephants and the mammoths) found in the massif of Garraf. It is an exceptional discovery as complete remains of elephants in caves are scarce in Catalonia.

The remains are the first almost complete skeleton of proboscidea found in the massif of Garraf.
The remains are the first almost complete skeleton of proboscidea found in the massif of Garraf.
06/08/2012

The archaeological excavations conducted at the Rhinoʼs cave in Castelldefels, led by researchers from the Quaternary Research Group-SERP (Prehistoric Studies and Research Seminar) of the University of Barcelona, have discovered part of the skeleton of a young elephant, approximately younger than 7. These remains, which are about 100,000 years old, are the first almost complete skeleton of proboscidea (an order of large mammals that comprises the elephants and the mammoths) found in the massif of Garraf. It is an exceptional discovery as complete remains of elephants in caves are scarce in Catalonia.

So far, in this area —in streams and in the Llobregat river— isolated parts of the skeleton had been found, such as the tusks, especially of woolly mammoth, which is chronologically more modern. The discovery of this elephant, older than the woolly mammoth, shows that elephants inhabited the Catalan central coast prior to the arrival of the mammoth, typical of cold periods. The discovery of this elephant, together with other species, such as numerous remains of Mediterranean tortoise (Testudo hermanni) —also found at the Rhinoʼs cave—, shows that 100,000 years ago weather conditions were warm at the Catalan central coast.

Up to now researchers have found the two complete back limbs (femur, tibia, tarsusbonesandphalanges), as well as the pelvis and the spine in anatomical connection. The ongoing archaeological work has only been able to excavate a part of the area where this elephant lies. Researchers surmise that the remains of the whole animal are probably complete, but the archaeological site is not going to be totally excavated until the next archaeological campaign.
The Rhinoʼs cave is a Paleolithic site with a long chronological sequence that extends from 200,000 to 80,000 BC. In the Mediterranean region, sites from this period, with such a complete stratigraphic sequence, are very scarce and, hitherto, it is the only one of its kind in Catalonia.
In this site there are a lot of faunal remains in an excellent state of preservation, which are characteristic of warm (interglacial) periods. Besides, several flint tool remains have been found which show that the oldest human presence in the area of the massif of Garraf inhabited this site.
Today the cave is sectioned vertically due to the last exploitation work carried out at the quarry of Ca nʼAymerich in Castelldefels. The massive extraction of limestone has greatly disfigured the original relief and has destroyed most of the Rhinoʼs cave, such as the original entry. Therefore, currently a scaffold structure provides access to the cave and allows conducting the archaeological work.
The remains found so far at the Rhinoʼs cave suggest that much of the site is likely to have been a den of carnivorous animals, which used the cave as a shelter where they took their prey. On the other hand, the more occasional presence of Neanderthals has also been proven in the upper levels of the cavity.
The archaeological excavations are led by researchers Joan Daura and Montse Sanz, members of the Quaternary Research Group-SERP of the UB, directed by professor of Prehistory Josep M. Fullola. The excavations are funded by the City Council of Castelldefels and the Paleontology and Archaeology Service of the Government of Catalonia, together with other organizations and companies, such as the Historical Research Group of Castelldefels (GREHIC), the Soteras Group and the Association of independent neighbours of Castelldefels (AVVIC).