Santimamiñe

Santimamiñe cave

Entrance to the cave
Location	Kortezubi (Biscay), Spain
Coordinates
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Santimamiñe
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, iii
Designated	1985 (9th session)
Part of	Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain
Reference no.	310-016
Region	Europe and North America
Spanish Cultural Heritage
Official name	Cueva de Santimamiñe
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	17 July 1984
Reference no.	RI-51-0005165

Santimamiñe cave, Kortezubi, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain, is one of the most important archaeological sites of the Basque Country, including a nearly complete sequence from the Middle Paleolithic to the Iron Age.

Its complete sequence includes the following cultures:

• Mousterian
• Chatelperronian
• Aurignacian
• Gravettian
• Solutrean
• Magdalenian
• Azilian

Plus unclassified remains of the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze and Iron ages.

It is best known for its mural paintings of the Magdalenian period, depicting bisons, horses, goats and deer.

Its excellent location over the Urdaibai estuary was probably most important in its continued habitation, first by Neanderthals and later by Homo sapiens.

Since 2008, it is one of the caves included as a World Heritage Site within "Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain".

See also

• Art of the Upper Paleolithic
• List of Stone Age art