Fig. 75.- Llonín . and engravings on the main pa- nel. According to Magín Berenguer.

Fig. 75.- Cueva de Llonín. Pinturas y grabados del panel princi- pal. Según Magín Berenguer. CHAPTER VI]. TWO AT PEÑAMELLERA ALTA

The cave is located at the base of a tectonic layer of the south face of the Sierra de la Cuera, opposite Peñamellera Peak, more than one half mile from the village of Llonín. "1# However, its easiest access is from district highway number 6,312 going from Panes to Can- gas de Onís at a place called Molinuca that is some nine kilo- meters from Panes. From Moli- nuca to the cave it is less than half a mile going up a steep. rocky, narrow path sometimes choked with hazelnut branches and weeds. The current entrance is one of the points providing easiest access through the remains dis- lodged from the overhang of its ancient opening that probably collapsed with the change of the climate from frozen to temperate. This current access must have been one of the same ones used by man, judging from the many kitchen remains sited there. This col]apse of the ancient entrance could have also very possibly broken the continuity of an offshoot gallery, that today is separated and has a different entrance. The roof is high. The known length is some 60 feet, turning at a right angle some 23 feet from the entrance. It finally becornes narrower and continues Fig. 79 B. on as a sinkhole or cat-hole that may come back into the cave. In General Directorate of Fine , Excavations by two memos on this gallery there is a sign series a post 1 held at that time. 1 then March 30, 1971, along with a in the form of punctuations, reported the finding to the afore- preliminary report on the lines, etc. painted in red. said General Directorate and to appraisal of this very important Once we get inside, we find the General Commission for legacy. some steps constructed by the 105 I'REHISTORIC CAVE ART

4

6

Fig. 80.- Llonín Cave. Group of engraved figures, Fig. SO.- Cueva de Llonín. Conjunto de las figuras grabadas.

Monje brothers during their tail. At the foot of this recess In this high arca of the cave stay. Before going all the way there is a strange sign engraved there is a fantastic forest of sta- down. there is a wall to our left with very deep , wide cuttingg of lagmite and stalagtite formations that has a small recess in it a single linea its maximum that have becorne joined together about 45 feet away having sorne length is 18 inches (fig. 73). from top to bottom, forming a red fines. remains of what no Some 25 feet from the aboye very beautiful collonade with a doubt would have been the recess there is another one, and height of over 20 feet in some figure of a . and near this, a appearing on one of its walls is a places. The overall height of the very defined depiction of a horsehead also painted in red cave from the bottom level to the dog. havintz a 1entth of 19 line with simple stroke and little ceiling goes al[ the way up to 70 106 inches from the mutile to the artistic quality. feet.

1 CHAPTER VII. TWO CAVES AT PEÑAn9ELLERA ALTA

The floor slopes down like a Art works of the main panel are differences in location are pro- ramp, a small part of which is displayed one after another. duced. traversed by the above mentio- For greater clarity in the ned stairs. down to the floor near reproductions, irregularities in Description of Paintings the wall where it becomes par- the rock have been flattened tially horizontal. out; that is, if a figure is engra- and Engravings The layout is a rough oval ved in a crack, the depiction in measuring some 1 35 by 100 feet. the copy is done by giving it its Before going finto this des- (fig. 74) true measurements and not the cription, we shall state that the The lowest level of the cave ones seen in the display; in this panel being reproduced, with the stops at the wall along which the way, certain barely noticeable exception of the isolated figures 107 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

1 \1. 11

Fig. 81.- Llonín Cave. Panel ol paintings in . Fig. 81.- Cueva de Llonín. Panel de las pinturas en negro.

located near the entrante, 1 and be put on the wall. This is an In some areas there are other 2 on the drawing that is included abstract kind of series or ideo- shapeless spots. perhaps adulte- as a clarifying illustration, inorphs, that 1 shall try to des- rated from the color having been belongs to just a fragment of the cribe by groups featured. 1 am rubbed, because there are a lot of large wall that still has art depic- basing my about this order engravings over the at the tions on it today (section A of of execution on reasons inclu- place where these appear. the drawin(1). Of a total of over ding style , technique and con- Another very distinct group 150 sq. ft.. 1 reproduced more tent, and because these engra- consists of rows of dots that are than 135. The reproduction of vings are superimposed on the sometimes lined up three to five another fragment of about 55 sq. red paint but not on the black in the Jeep. ft. is still pending, separated paint except in rare instances, in Last, there is another one from the one before by an inte- which the latter appears to have made up of signs that 1 would rruption of some sixty feet and been done at the sarne time as consider to be more unique. One another six feet to the left of the the engraving . ( fig. 76) is made up of six thick vertical part studied (section B of the This large group of signs strokes set forth in a horizontal drawing) where there are only includes a group of more or less row, along with another much strokes or short lines of red paint vertical strokes that are someti- longer. slightly curved stroke and some engraving. mes wider on their higher part, starting Glose to the center of the The wall is decorated with gradually becoming thinner bottom part of the row, with the red and black paint, and with down to the base, giving the group taking on the strange engravings. (fig. 75) impression of having been drawn appearance of a tinned shovel. In my judgement, the depic- with paint smeared fingertips or Another rnost unique formula- 108 tions in red paint are the first to with a brushing instrument. tion is the one shown as N° 12 CHAPTER VII. TWO CAVES AT PEÑAMELLERA ALTA

r •.

1 i 1 i r

1

on the illustration of the red well as art in other caves as far tely between Llonín, Chufín and panel. This is a fenzale anthropo- away as La Pileta ( Málaga) o Maltravieso, making up a morIh and is the only example Maltravieso (Cáceres). However, curious triangle of probable cul- known up to now in Cantabrian these punctuations at Llonín tural unity. with its corners loca- wall Art. have an intimate relationship ted at Cantabria, Cáceres and In the lower part of the area with the ones at the Cave of . where the aboye figure is pain- Chufín ( Riclones-Cantabria), Prof. Almagro Bach classifies ted, there is a serpent shape and the lengths of the groups are the paintings at Chufín as Aurig- shown wound around in four even the same. nacian- and the pain- pronounced curves, two aboye One of the most unique sym- tings at Maltravieso as Aurigna- and two below, where the thicke- bols is the one with the semicir- cian. with ancient Perigordian as nings of the body are shown by a cular concentric lines that toge- a possibility. double line. Last, near the ser- ther with another similar one Within that age. we must con- pent shape, there are two groups stylized in the aboye mentioned sider the ide omozphs from the of lines describing semicircular Maltravieso cave, are the only Llonín Cave as belonging to an concentric ares. signs of this kind in our Quater- evolutionary trend that would Analyzing these flourishes in nary Art. The at Maltra- have started out in a pre-Aurig- red paint, we see that most of vieso also has a serpent shape. nacian stage, going fully into them are often found on manv There is a certain amount of with its later decorated walls in other caves, similar figures . engraved or spread. such as the punctuations and painted, in French Cantabrian We should not end these com- comma spots that are quite com- Art. However. the most intimate mentaries on the red paintings of mon in all of Cantabrian art as relationship in shapes is defini- Llonín without stopping to make 109 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

at leas [ a brief examination of Ovinas of the vulva or phallic goats, two malo deer, a bison, a (he feiuale (10thropomorphic emblems, are an expression of horsehead and a very incomplete figure. It is a crude stylized pro- one of Paleolithic man's con- bison. Concernina the first file. probably made with a brush, cerns: the reproduction of the group, its multiple, weak lining with a drawing of the outline of species. These are allusions to is an attempt at a drawing tech- the head with a dot inside it to that steady common denomina- nique with shading and even represent the eye. Going along tor of fertility, which is so evi- shows the figures body parts. the chest fine . the outline of the dent and so common even in This attempt was emphasized in breasts is seen clearly, with the nuich later historie societies, in 1957 by Dr. Jordá who made stomach and sorne free lines which female infertility was a general reference to specimens showing the ]egs farther down. stigna. of this kind in the Quaternary. The back une comes directly The group of engravings of The great muscular strength down from the head without any the Llonín cave contains sorne of these artists and their mastery definition of the neck. curving outstanding artistic values. of drawing is impressive. for slightly outward along the back These are all oí' the stylized them to he able to handie such line and aoina back in around kind. Deer, goats. two hison and difficult instruments for the exe- the kidneys . then going down two are on the list of ani- cution oí' a drawing with sensi- and slightly cmphasizing the maos drawn on the main panel. tive lines on such a hard surface prominence of the buttocks. The (fig. 80) with great skill and case with entice surface within these lines As we have indicated before, their hands. The Prehistoric artist is unpainted except for the space all these engravings are made on handles a chisel on hard rock between the stornach and the top of the red paint and their for- w ith the sane Base as anyone buttocks. There is a vertical line mulas oí' expression have no- using a soft pencil on a piece of on this surface that is wider in thing to do with it. for the red paper. The curves of the eyes, the niddle. which seems to indi- paint is an ideomorphic si,-n, and horns, nostrils, expression of the cate thc vulva . (fig. 77) the engravings are stylizations mouth. etc. where a mistake of No doubt what is intended is imitating nature. Here we may even a millimeter would change to arrive at a pictorial represen- clearly see two techniques: the the desired effect in depicting tation oí' a woman . However. unes that are done with weak. reality. are accomplished with though had already multiple and interrupted lines. complete confidence and skill. reached a high leve] of perfec- both in outlincs and the inside showing us that the man who did tion with the rumpy Aurignacian surface of the figures. and those then was certainly young. had Venuses . in contrast , stylized that were done with just one amazing physical strength, and representations on flat surfaces deep stroke on the outline, or must have also gone through a during this stage were verv low cose with strokes that may not be long apprenticeship which muy level and when they are actually single, but nevertheless have the have even started from infancy attempted, the result is no more same firmness and simplicity (figs.78&79A&B). than a crude half sien and half with an emphasis of sorne detail Without a douht we can clas- natural imitation . such as we oí' the figures. Those that are sify the artistic and chronologi- may observe in the cave at Llo- rnade with many strokes are cal position of the execution of nín. Nonetheless , it is a symbol superimposed upon others. and these engravings and the abone with a meaning we can figure Chis multiple, weak stroke tech- mentioned technique within the out. Both the small female sculp- nique is used with most of the saíne style and period of time of tures and the signs that are indi- deer pictured and on a goat. The the engravings on the famous 110 rectly related to sex, often dra- other group has the rest of the shoulders oí' the El Castillo cave CHAPTER VII. TWO CAVES AT PEÑAMELLERA ALTA

Fig. 82.- The Sella River where it empties into the sea. and the town of . Fig. 82.- El río Sella desembocando en el mar. Bordeándolo. la villa de Ribadesella.

(Cantabria), which are not only engraving in addition to what is El Castillo was Cantabrian from the lame school, but also provided by mobiliary Art. Lower . deal with the lame subjects. We shall not go on explaining Concerning the rest of the These latter engravings are not other kinds of comparitive engravings that were made with the only ones like the ones from types. The interesting thing is to a single, deep cut, their interpre- the Llonín Cave. There were also be able to define the time of tation of nature is much stricter, engraved bones found in the execution of these engravings lacking the imaginative liberties Altamira cave with a drawing with inultiple weak, interrupted taken in the aboye engravings. style and technique that are also strokes at the cave of Llonín They are also attempting a con- fully identified with the ones froni the aboye mentioned ception tending toward pictorial, from Llonín and El Castillo. It is examples, as being within the something that is not present in known that the bones from Alta- late Cantabrian . If we the ones we are now observing, rrlira were from Upper Solutrean wish, we can connect them to that depend entirely on line, and strata, or late Cantabrian Solu- the Lower Magdalenian, because use only for maintaining strict- trean. The walis of El Castillo even though in its day the Alta- ness in execution. This is in and Altamira provide us with miran was thought to have agreement with the best Solu- further parallels to this school of helonged to the late Solutrean, trean tradition, if we compare 111 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

them with parallel models of bovine, which are within the printing with a reptile skin other engravings in French-Can- same kind of scheme. impregnated with paint. tabrian Art in conception and Finally, we shall mention the Lastly. 1 shall mention a technique. This gives us a bit of abstract figures. Here we can strange sien located to the right freedom to include them in the point out a group of punctua- of the panel, under the group of early Solutrean, ending up in the tions that are (viven al] intentio- the four goats. These are two Middle Solutrean. nal irregular order, the meaning slightly curved fines facing one We would like to review the behind which is totally unknown another, almost touching at the painting in black (fig. 81 ). Here as always. This to the left on the end. There are two straight lines are eleven figures set forth with panel. Not far away and toward crossing the space inside the two bison, one of which is the right, on a natural relief of other two aforementioned fines. incomplete: five goats. four of the rock with a crack running In its chape, this could suggest these very schematic and one across it. there are theee parallel devices that were used for wal- very richly painted with engra- vertical strokes of equal length king on snow. ving at the feet: a deer head that painted on the surface of the As we haye already stated, is also very schematic; another upper half. On the lower surface these black paint designs are figure that is hard to identify there are five parallel strokes ins- superimposed on top of stylized because it has partially disappea- cribed at an angle and of varying engravings in places where both red. but which perhaps could length. and to the left of these exist. This shows us at the very have been a depiction of a fallow there are another theee strokes least that the engravings of the deer. given the similarity in that this time are vertical, also figures were done before [he shape to the ones at the El Bux„ parallel and also of varying painting: but if we put this togeth- cave which we shall discuss length. The special location of er with the very distant artistic below. There is a bovine and these lines on a rough part of the idea between one and the other, also another figure that is hard to rock shows that they were put we must come to the conclusion identify because it is incomplete, there on purpose. as in so that they were done at different but which could have sorne simi- many other cases, this cannot be times. larity to the likeness of a dog. interpreted. If we just go by its There is a comparative exam- In this stylized art in black. appearance in looking at it. it ple of the bison in the cave of Le the figures of the bison and non- could have a chape similar to Portel (Ariége. ) and the schematic goat have a relation- that of some ceremonial . similarity is so great, that 1 llave ship in style. They are the unes but this consideration, which is no doubt that these two paintings having the greatest sensitive- no more than a suggestion of are from the same stage of Art ness. the best proportions in size mine. does not mean 1 am con- and even from the same school. and similar technical formulas: vinced of it. But we also have local examples because these three. except for Another of the motifs consists such as a bison from the El Buxii the spot of color, have engraving of two parallel lines crossed by cave (Cangas de Onís), emphasizing certain parts of the small ares inside. Judging from 131) and also the bison from drawing. The supposed dog and the amount of remains that are on Santin,n,niñe (Vizcaya). These fallow deer also have sorne rela- the wall. this must have been a aboye mentioned examples were tionship with one another. Their favorite subject. lt gives the classified in the Middle Magda- Art is not as good as that of the impression of having been drawn lenian through studies of the preceding figures. The third through some contrived means: paintings. Given the similarity of group would be made up of the what occurs to me is the possibi- this observation. we must agree 112 schematic goats. the deer and the litv that it may have involved that these two bison figures from CHAPTER Vil. TWO CAVES AT PEÑAMELLERA ALTA

Fig. 83- Cave of Les Pedroses , inside the cave. Fig. 83- Cueva de Les Pedroses. Interior de la cueva. the Cave of Llonín also belong to degeneration , which instead of lanas, etc. This entire group of the same stage ; not only that, we true joy with nature, is merely comparative types is in the late would also include in that same for putting down a summarized Magdalenian which 1 find very time , the magnificent figure of version of the figures. There are appropriate for classifying these the billygoat that we made refe- local examples of this way of figures from the Llonín Cave. rente to in praise of its fine doing things , such as the small Engraving has its summit in artistic qualities. deer of El Buxu , (fig. 125), the the early and middle Solutrean, The rest of the stylized repre- goat at Peña de Candamo (fig. and painting comes forth with its sentations are very silnplistic in 150) and in Cantabria, several best examples at the time of execution due to lack of atten- more ; for example , the female transition between the Solutrean tion to detail, or else they did not reindeer at Las Monedas, two and Magdalenian flourishing know how to do them properly. deer at Las Chimeneas, a goat at during the early stages of the We are now faced with Art in La Pasiega, three does at Cova- Magdalenian . Decadence sets in 113 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

Fie. 84.- Cave of Les Pedroses. Decorated wall. Fig. 84.- Cueva de Les Pedroses. El parietal decorado.

after a good part of the middle zations in red paint at the Llonín been maintained on the evolu- Magdalenian has pone by, with Cave would fall within the tion of for sorne somewhat of a return to the sign Aurignacian cycle with a prolon- time, is quite comforting. philosophy of abstract models gation of the Aurignacian-Gra- Its variety of symbolic and done with black paint during the vettian. abstract wall Art is diverse and last gasp of this great Magdale- The stylized engravings abundant, and it offers new nian stage, when the beginnings would fall into the Solutrean things that may help us in clea- of the are already being and Solutrean-Magdalenian: and ring the road some day, so we felt. 1 believe that the black abs- the stylized hlack paintings can get to that translation code tract paintings of the Cave o/ would be within the Magdale- that may give us access to better Llonín may be classified there. nian way past the middle, with knowledge about the hopes and In an attempt to summarize this more and more schematic concerns of our ancestors. long chronological and stylistic models toward the end, and at On the other hand. the good process of explanation 1 nave the very end, the sign motifs we art cense shown in most of the subjectcd you to. dear reader, have mentioned. examples of stylization of nature taking advantage of your patient The contribution made by is a real pleasure for the viewer, disposition and desire to become Llonín Cave is so significant that and it filis us once more with acquainted with the Art that was 1 would not hesitate in calling it deep admiration by evidencing created by our Prehistoric ances- sensational, at least in my way the great sensitivity of these tors, and to enable you to see the of thinking. The way it reinfor- Paleolithic men who were capa- trees through so much forest, 1 ces and provides new mearas of ble of creating works of such would say that the abstract styli- support to hypotheses that have beauty.

114 CHAPTER VIII

THE CAVES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RIBADESELLA

Location a block of ice, with the boiling dering meanders in search of its silver of salmon vaulting most comfortable route after If we make another zig-zag through the air. having taken on the waters of tri- along our road in search of It is so completely entwined butaries such as the Piloña and Prehistoric Art, we shall return in the geophysical innards of becoming a significant river. And back to the coast to enter the Asturias, that the Eastern part of it is significant, because as 1 said Ribadesella area. where the Asturias would not really be before, the inviting shores of its waters of the Sella river also itself without the Sella. It beco- banks, the banks of the great provide the narre: Ribera del mes Asturian from Puerto del Sella, brought forth life long Sella or Bank of the Sella. Pontón onward, and the headwa- time ago (fig. 82). Insofar as the Sella is concer- ters of its childhood go rushing Thousands of ago, the ned, we can say that this is a sal- down six miles toward the South. Ribadesella area must have been mon river and indeed one of the It then enters adolescence to pit something like London; a Prehis- best, and among the best in other itself against the Asturian moun- toric London. I say this because respects as well. Ever since the tains in harsh lessons in prepara- within a relatively small area, beginning, at the dawn of time, tion for adulthood. It finally there is a whole series of caverns it -ave life and encouraged becomes a celebrity once it that were inhabited by Quater- vegetation with water as clean as comes into the valley, with wan- nary man: The caves of San Antonio, del Río, La Moría, Tito Bustillo, La Cuevo,ia, Cova Rosa, El Cierro and Les Pedro- ses. These are the ones that have been explored, providing an abundance of material. There may be more, but as yet they have not been discovered.

La Cuevona

La Cuevona is located on the left bank of the estuary. Here is where the San Miguel river takes its first steps underground. and also gets involved in the recesses of the neighboring . The San Miguel river is not very significant as such Fig. 85.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Exploration Group. ready to make one of their first descents roto the cave. today, but when the rains come, Fig. 85.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Grupo para exploraciones comenzando uno de los descensos. it becornes considerably larger 115 1

PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

and wider. Most of the aboye El Cierro mentioned caves are nestied at its edge except for one , the San The El Cierro cave does not Antonio cave. have any wall Art either, and The main hall of La Cuet'onar insofar as objects are concerned, is an enormous cone with a base it has only the usual poor quality measuring some two hundred of Asturian findings to offer. fifty feet in diarneter and a There are some bones carved height close to two hundred. with thin geometric cuts oí- a From its wrinkled walls project Magdalenian type. Its first stalactites hanging down as explorer was Jordá in 1954. The though their petrified paralysis significant findings of material may have come about at the are valuable and very interesting moment of a convulsion. The from a scientific point of view to figure is dwarfed and fill in the missing pagel oí' the made totally insignificant by book of (fig. 38). outcroppings rising from Che floor, and by the great height of Coya Rosa the peak. At the peak. to set off this whole fantastic vision, there In Art, Cova Rosa follows the is an opening letting in filtered same pattern. Prof . Jordá himself light from outside that slithers started excavation there and work down the walls. revea]ing the still continues . There is no wall wrinkles of this tortured throat. Art. It has yielded early Canta- La Cuevona has no paintings brian Solutrean and Solutrean- nor engravings , and in digs that Magdalenian with some

were made several decades ago, engraved pieces from that era; the Fig. 86.- Tito Bustillo Cave..Map of the cave. objects were picked up that were outstanding one is a wheat-spike Fig. 86.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Plano de la cueva. classified as , though drawing on a flattened bone shaft none of these specimens showed (fig. 36). Asturian Group for Underground any hint of artistic talent. There- Explorations , a possible link was fore, the only reason for our visit La Lloseta discovered between this cave and here is to view its outstanding Tito Bustillo cave. Though this and unusual natural beauty, and This narre was given by link may be attempted in a peri- to mention its probable link with Jordá; it used to be called La lous descent from La Lloseta, it the Tito Bustillo cave nearby. Moría . Right now there are some cannot be accomplished the other This link is almost certain even studies that are attempting to way around; therefore, this link though it may have been closed identify it with the so called del could have never been used as off by a slide. 1 have followed Río cave from prospecting during such by Prehistoric man, and it these speculations down the tor- the last 70 years. Jordá did a should be understood that habita- tuous road leading off from the methodical excavation in 1955 tion of these two caves was never main hall , until 1 arrived at places and the fruit of this work was a connected. For these reasons, that were no longer accessible to magnificent study published in when we talk about the paintings me due to the abundante of water 1958. It has no wall Art either. at the Tito Bustillo cave, we also 116 and lowness of the ceiling. During the tours made by the include the unes at the end of the CHAPTER VIII. THE CAVES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RIBADESELLA

path of descent mentioned Les Pedroses ramshackle houses jumbled with before, already quite close to the abandon all over this mountai- gallery of this latter cave. Significant wall decorations nous geography is wrong, In mobiliary Art, there are in Ribadesellan caves begin at because the houses of El Carmen several Magdalenian bones with the Les Pedroses caves. These are lined up along the edge of the simple decorations with series of were explored by Prof. Jordá in highway with orderly civility. fines crossed by other series, or 1956. 1 made a reproduction of But this is an order in which here isolated fines. their Art works that same . and there, we find gardens This cavern is located at the surrounded by ¡ron rail fences San Antonio town of El Carmen, which is surrounding a mansion. Here, some four miles from the local from these gardens, now and The San Antonio cave, explo- seat of government, Ribadesella. then we see the long neck of a red by Hugo Obermaier in 1913, After going over such a mean- palco tree emerge. It is so strange shows a modest wall depiction dering crazy road, anyone who that in so many towns in Astu- of a , crude and of simple would think that he would also rias, we see the exotic figure of fine, painted in black. find an equally strange village of the palm contrasted with the 117 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

flora and spaciousness of this geography, which denotes the property of an immigrant from Spanish America, that nostalgic other world of Asturias, and here, a remembrance of lands abroad. Les Pedroses is a cramped cavern without too many mazes, but the floor is very jumbled from rushing waters with very marked variations in level. The stamp of the waters that once rushed through this cavern is still very much in evidence because the incessant wanderings of Fig. 87.- Tito Bustillo Cave . End of the tunnel and beeinning of the "Long Gallery". currents left a deep channel in the Fig. 87.- Cueva Tito Bustillo . El final del túnel y comienzo de la

Tito Bustillo Cave mouth yawned over a high plain, plane of the sea; the murmur of at the end of a limestone knob the Sella worn down from its long This unique cavern enclave in shot through with streaks like and difficult voyage; the belt of Ribadesella where man carne to Gruyére cheese (fig. 85). Close to mountains that crowd up against his mysterious encounter with here was the town of Ardines, each other to look over the Canta- the , setting forth the part of the suburban belt of Riba- brian sea and the glory of the unknown code of his ideo- desella, the local seat of govern- bright, young dynamic sunshine, rnorplis and the naturalistic styli- ment. The small hills dotting this which was more appropriate to zation of the varied animal arca would give it an almost this youthful, energetic group world living with him, enriched moon-like appearance were it not than this strange, dark shaft. the Prehistoric Art treasure one for the Breen grass that thrives This speleological group was April back in 1968 by contribu- against all logic, shooting right called Torreblanca and was ting one of the most beautiful out of the stone itself. associated with the Asturian collections of paintings in the These underground explorers Underground Exploration Fede- world, deserving of being in the arrived at an entrante platform ration (GESA). On that day, same room with the Cantabrian and there they discovered a par- April 12, 1968, they were paintings at Altamira or the tially hidden crack inviting them making one of the descents French paintings at . into a strange, dark route going required for eligibility for mem- On April 12, 1968. a group of straight down toward the traditio- bership in the federation. Howe- young explorers of the innards of nal road to hell. In back of them ver, along with this. they also the Earth took their first steps in was the blue sky of a warm succeeded in enrichin;g the cata- an enormous cavern whose toothy springtime; the vast luminous logue of caves that had been

Fig. 88.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Engraved does and bovine. Fig. 88.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Ciervas y bóvido grabados. 119 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

and the light of bis carbide lamp by chance illuminated these art messages sent by ancestors thou- sands of years before in time. and the entire Group. with the real world yet before them. still wondered if what they were seeing was actually real. Nineteen days later. on ano- ther part of Asturian ground, at Agüeras in Quirós. Tito Bustillo emerged from one of these darle holes to return to the varied, bri-

Fig. 89.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Signs painted in red and partially engraved. lliant landscape with his eyes Fig. 89.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Signos pintados en rojo y parcialmente grabados. gazing upon it in contemplation: but all of a sudden. under his feet there was the round of shif- ting rocks with a message of death for this very dear friend. Therefore, in his memory and opon my urging, this cave was áiven his nickname: a posthu- mous honor that the Foundation for Prehistoric Caves and Depo- sits of Asturias approved by resolution on May 17, 1968 with the blessing and support of the General Directorate of Fine Arts. Until then. that entrance hole of unknown length had been called Cave of the Cc retal. because to one sido on open land there was a cherry tree. and its Fig. 90.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Engraving depicting u Nurse and un ídeomorphic sign inseribed on it. mutilated stump still remains. Fig. 90.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Grabados de un caballo y de un signo inscrito en aquél. So on that day April 12. 1968. inhabited in Ribadesella's Pre- his friends. And he, his ei(,hteen the Torreblanca Group ventured historie past, with this contribu- years filled with generosity, was into this intriguing cavern and tion that would be (,¡,,,en the a true exaniple of nobleness and vine days later. on Sundav. April name of Tito Bustillo. companionship: always on the 21, this writer descended into the Someone mjght ask why it alert for problems large and gallery to finish off the discovery vas given that name, which I small, so he could remedy any of a whole artistic panorama. 1 shall explain forthwith. weakness or need by the good- confirmed its authenticity as One of the members of the ness of his . Tito Bustillo Prehistoric work, appraisin`_ it as ggroup was Celestino Fernández went down into the bowels of one of the most significant and 120 Bustillo, called Tito Bustillo by the cave that warm spring day beautiful specimens of wall Art CHAPTER VIII. THE CAVES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RIBADESELLA

causing these slides , though for- tunately by that time , man had already started living in the fields outside. On April 24 , 1968 1 sent the first report to the General Direc- torate of Fine Arts on what would no doubt be a great event in the field of Prehistory. The following June, 1 published a paper on this subject in Ribade- sella 1968 magazine, and on September 15, a reference in La Estafeta Literaria. Later descents into the gallery over the months enabled me to do studies and make reproduc- tions and photos of the paintings so 1 could classify them by their scientific and art value, and complete a graphically docu- mented work published as a monograph by the Royal Aca- demy of History in January, 1969 and in its Bulletin for the first quarter of that year. If 1 have digressed in these details it is because this news concerning the cave, given the spectacularity of its discovery, was given wide publicity through a number of agencies both domes- tic and international, and promp-

Fig. 91.- Tito Bustillo Cave. One complete hovine eneraving^ and another partial one. ted the arrival of a large number Fig. 91.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Grabado de bóvido completo y parcial de otro. of persons wishing to view this famous Prehistoric legacy. Such in . In this first descent of response to the last climatic visits were not allowed back then mine, the Long Gallero was change with the emergente of due to the many risks of its preca- explored and the deposit area and comfortable temperatures cau- rious access . Therefore, the Caves access used by Paleolithic man sing wide thaws and much water Board agreed to re-open the were discovered. This access had penetration. The rock outside, ancient entrance , which was ope- been shut off by the collapse of a being subject to rapid change of ned to the public in August of stone overhang that had watched climate and less support on the 1969. Studies continued into the over the entrante, which was a overhangs over the entrante, winter to facilitate this entrance frequent happening, perhaps in could have responded to this by that is now being used. 121 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

On recalling these dates, 1 also been opened up at the end of the arrival inside, visitors are surely evoque the narres of Tito Busti- cave oposite from the one that impressed by the imposing sce- llo and the members of the Torre- was used by Prehistoric man. It nery contrasting with the dark blanca Group and other friends operas up directly into what 1 sobriety of the tunnel (fig. 87). who viere at my side in the first have called the Long Gallerv. To We have barely begun our descents and helped out in the the left on entering there is an tour when we find an engraved first explorations. including: José enormous washout going all the depiction of three does on the Manuel Suárez D. Estébanez, way up to the ceiling that presu- left wall. They are in a group, then president of G.E.S.A. and mably could have cut off linkage running in single file after each Marino Fernández Canoa who with the next cave, La Cuevona. other. The stroke oí' the drawing mapped the cave (fig. 86). At least this seenis to he indica- is in wide line, mixed also with The difficult. accidental first ted on the one hand by the explo- scraping and multiple tracings. route of descent has been shut off rations that have been made To the right of the first doe, and now access is through a 540 which 1 have mentioned in ear- there is also a drawing of a doe's foot tunnel. At its entrance there lier pagel and on the other hand, head, but larger than the resta is an engraved stone showing the by the peculiarity of the wall also, there is a in single date oí' discovery and the narre paintings that we find only at the stroke, with its lengthwise axil of the Torreblanca Group respon- start of our tour of this gallery of parallel to the floor and just one sible for it. This access route has the Tito Bustillo cave. Upon their foot shown per pair. This sug-

Fig. 92.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Red painting of siens. 122 Fig. 92.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Pintura roja de carácter signífero. CHAPTER VIII. THE CAVES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RlBADESELLA

gests to me the possibility that these last two engravings may have been made before the engravings of the does (fig. 88, part A of the inap). On a lower arca of the wall and a short distance from the aboye figures, there are two signs of equal size in the chape of an H with the outline in engraving, filling the inside of the three main lines making up the figure with a red (fig. 89). Lastly, on the same wall and close to the latter, there are three engravings. One of these is of a horse with a four-sided sign divi- Fig. 93.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Vulvar signs painted in red. ded in two by a vertical line ins- Fig. 93.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Signos vul ares pintados en rojo. cribed on it, and to the right, the remains of a drawing that is also tinted in red on the wall to the through different minerals such of a sign type (fig. 90) outside the right, and just a few steps from as limestone, , manga- figure. There is a marvelous dra- these is the beginning of a rough nese, ¡ron, and here and there, wing of a bovine below. This is a ramp sorne 33 feet long sloping once more the artificial marks of very complete figure, and the up, which allows us to enter a mankind in new signed messa- only part of it that has been lost is small hollow with five shield- ges along the wall to the right, in part of the hooves. There is also shaped signs also painted in the forro of dots, commas or an engraving of another incom- among elongated red spots and whip shapes (fig. 94). plete bovine figure (fig. 91). punctuations. that can no doubt But it would be good to stop Almost opposite this part of be identified as vulvar symbols. It and ponder a consideration on the wall there are two large is quite possible that Chis series of these abstract shapes painted rocks in the middle of the path signs may be a magical invoca- with ochre that we have found with signs painted on them in tion of fertility. This small hollow al] along our walk through the red composed of short little extends out tortuously in a short, Long Gallero, Their most spec- lines, some of which are crossed narrow cat hole also having red tacular manifestation is found at diagonally and others vertically spots on the walls (fig. 93, parí B the Hollol-ww of the Vulvas. These and few horizontally. There are of the drawing). are all along the first few feet of also two lines drawn in an open We continue our tour of the the tour. and there are no more arc with sorne small protruding Long Gallery along a path exu- with the same features in the rest spots (fig. 92). Under the rock ding heat and humidity, flanked of the cave. with this last ideomorph, there is by a fantastic spectacle of the The engravings we have a sinkhole also having elongated playful games of Nature. Bun- reviewed in this section are styli- red spots in different places. ches of stalactites hang down zed, and they are naturally not a Following the path through the like the pipes of an impossible product of the same cult interests gallery and a bit farther inside, organ, full of rich variations of as the red signs. They are evi- there are some edges of outcrops color taken from water filtered dently due to the fitness of this 123 PRI..14ISTORIC CAVE ART

Fig. 94.- Tito Bustillo Cave. A view of the "Long Gallero". Fig. 94.- Cueva Tito Bustil lo. Un aspecto de la ..Galería Larga».

part of the cave for habitation deal with them at the proper Bustillo cavern , man also Ieft during the Aurignacian era. time. some Art specimens . There are which probably enjoyed the About 110 yards froni the two small heads painted here in assumed access from La Cue- Hollotr oj' Me Valgas there is a red: one appears to be a deer and t ona. which is now cut off by vertical shaft several yards long the other is of a goat. We shall the slide 1 mentioned aboye. 1 that links up with the La Moría describe one of these very rare will not pursue the cause of this or La Lloseta cave. It is not a oraphic documents on paintings Aurignacian classification for practica ] way to get there from of this kind. They are rough por- reasons of brevity, and because it Tito Bustillo and on the way trayals in thick red Zines and not not only coincides with my per- back , coming down can just very explicit in detall. so there- sonal judgement set forth alre- barely be accomplished, fore it may be possihle that their ady in other writin_s, but it is because these twenty or more zoomorphic identification may also in agreement with the jud- basical l y vertical yards of sharp, not be entirely accurate . (figs. 95 gements of Professors Jordá and narrow confines require an & 96. sec •tion C of the ('iug). Beltrán Martínez. extreme amount of skill. Howe- Following the road down the The engravings are some- ver, a few yards from the start of Long Gallerv. there are four 124 thing else again. and me shall a supposed ascent from the Tito engravings a few yards away on CHAPTER VIII. THE CAVES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RIBADESELLA

the wall to our left in a small wall and at some height aboye hollow, three of which are of the floor level of the cave, we abstract figures that are hard to find another hollow. this time interpret and the fourth could be more spacious both in its held to be the depiction of a goat. entrance and ceiling height. Here In these four, that are small in on the left wall as one goes in, size, the engraving technique is there is a sizeable engraving of a the sarne and they appear to have rather strange shape that sorne been made with a serrated spa- experts have identified as a tula type of instrument because depiction of a fish. 1 myself have the flutings of the engraving are very serious doubts about the very regularly parallel. Coming identification of this figure. or going is the same, and so we Fig. 95.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Deer head. Under this and in small size, now get moving again to go back Fig. 95.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Cabeza de cér- there is a depiction of a goat in vido. to the right wall of the Long single cut engraving. On the wall Gallero. Here in this place there opposite there is a very nume- is a narrow, hard to find crack rous group of marks that were opening up into a small hollow drawn with fingers on soft , with a very low ceiling. Several which today is fully hardened. drawings were engraved here These marks go from top to bot- with great artistry depicting hor- tom, and within this up and ses, a bovine and a deer atop a down pattern they trace a block of stone, the last of which slightly winding and crossing was drawn without a head (fig. pattern that seems at times to be 97, section D of the drawing). an attempt to define some sort of Though 1 did not reveal this figure; but despite my good panel in its entirety until 1985, intentions and efforts, 1 have not in 1970 1 had already given Fig. 96.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Goat head. yet been able to identify it. notice of this finding to the Press Fig. 96.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Cabeza de After having gone about a cabra, (La Voz. de Asturias, 12-4-1970) third of a mile, the Long Gallery along with publication of a pho- sitivity; with its neck curving comes to an end and we find tograph including part of this down toward the -round line, ¡t ourselves in a wide. high-ceiling group of very interesting dra- puts its head down as though to square with a (loor of fine sand wings; so interesting due to their look for grass. Inscribed on its that we decided to call The magnificent workmanship with body is the erect head of a colt, Great Hall on April 21, 1968 mastery and artistic value equal with open, hopeful eyes and (Part E of the nrap, fig. 98). This to that of the depictions on the rounded features still far from is where the three galleries com- Great Panel that we shall des- the angularity of maturity. On prising the cavern area come cribe below. Among these, 1 the wall oposite this decorated together. One of these we have would like to point out the figure boulder there are two more just described; the other is the of a mare where a crack in a engravings of cruder style, one one going from The Great Hall rock is used for placing the dra- of which can be identified as to the entrance used by Prehisto- wing of the head. The entire cha- another horse. ric man where he left a rich racter of this figure is shown Going back along our return deposit of utensils and kitchen with perfection and extreme sen- road, from right to left, on the in the vestibule. A small 125 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

part of this site was first excava- ted by Miguel Angel García Gui- nea and later by Moure Romani- llo. The most ancient strata have not vet been reached. hut it has already provided very interesting material from different Magdale- nian ages with outstanding artistic examples that 1 shall mention at the proper time. There are still manv cubic yards remaining with- out excavation. sorne lying under gigantic hlocks of stone from an equally gigantic slide. Personally, 1 have always had the idea that this deposit would be able to provide us with Solutrean mate- rial. with the wall Art speeimens serving as my basis in this. Also, if the abstract depictions at the beginning of the Long Gullerv were the work of the same men who used Chis site. then of course Aurignacian material would be found. But is not very probable that the latter will happen. because these artists who did the abstracts could Nave used the entrance that was blocked off by Fig. 97.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Engi ed in the "Long Gallero' the slide and supposedly was Fig.. 97. Cueva Tito Bustillo. Grabados representando caballos y un havido inscritos en una dova- linked to La Cuevona. eha de la Galería Lar,;t,,. These houlders from this huge slide have remains of broken individual to whom the remains entrances was the one that cau- engravings: that is. very probably belonged. which by first exami- sed this underground break done before they were dislodged. nation appear to he much later through which we went sliding There is also a painted figure of a than the age when this cave was dangerously for oven a year. bovino, which though poorly pre- occupied. The Great Hall is where thc served. shows evidence of a pos- But we still need to say that first lar_e sine figure is found. sible out.iule sanctuarv. about halfway along this ami of This shows a horse painted in Very close to the excavated the gallery going from The Great very dark carmine stain, almost area oí' this deposit there is a Hall to the deposit, is the ope- , which defines the draping human skeleton stretched out ning of a shaft enahling acciden- of the skin with the stone left on the,round under the rocks tal access to the cave. It is very blank in the stomach area. It mea- from the slide at the entrance probable that the sume convul- sures S' 5" from muzzlc to tail. 126 which no douht trapped this sion that blockrd jis natural The bultonis of the fecl are at CHAPTER VIII. THE CAVES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RIBADESELLA

floor level. Water has surely run the third gallery corning into the into the Sella through several over the painting several times, Great Hall. there is a sign pain- channeis, one of which runs destroying its details, for the ted in red with its rectangular parallel to the entrance tunnel. mane and tail are hard to distin- shape defined by small, short But the San Miguel, which is no guish because they are blurry. spots laid out in a regular fa- more than a small tributary. The outline is very sensitive and shion rather than by lines. makes an awful roar as it goes well drawn and this, along with Along the way to the most rushing through the confines of the other details mentioned, is important group of paintings in the cave. Some ten yards or so evidente of the excellent art skills the cavern, there is a gorge over from this gorge we come to a with which it was done (fig. 99). to our right some forty feet deep wall that will present us with On this same wall and a few where the San Miguel river runs. severa¡ yards of a fantastic conti- yards toward the gallery leading It winks up once again to the sky nuous technicolor panorama of to the main sanctuarv, which is in greeting and then empties out Prehistoric works of Art that 127 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

Fig. 9S.- Tito Bustillo Cave. A view of the "Great Hall". Fig. 9S.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Un aspecto de la «Gran Sala..

have made this cave the queen of ries they might have heen absor- but many times. The sinkholes it Asturian caves. But these artistic bed into one of the apocalyptic went through may be seen at the specimens begin with the most murals done by the master from base of this decorated wall, drai- modest. so admiration and sur- Taull (fig. 100). nini the tlooded tloor. The road prise may start to grip our soul The tloor is of fine sand. built from the Great Hall and the slowly and gradually. up in large amounts by water entrance to the Great Panel, This is like a preview of what currents that must have rushed which is slightly sioped. confirms we used to cal¡ the Great Panel. through this place time and again this course taken by the currents. It was made where the gallery after mankind made these decora- which at times must have been widens into a larger room. tions. Mavbe they were never quite turbulent. because the floor though still small, with just a completely covered by water, is covered with several layers of hint recalling the domed archi- because onlv the bottoni of the loose slate carried in by currents. tecture of a Romanesque chapel. composition shows a clear defini- It gives us this ahsurd impres- tion of one of the levels; hut it is sion due to the colorfulness and evident that water did go through Fig. lOO .- Tito Bustillo Cave. General vision "Great Panel- paintings. tones of the paintings and stone, there and flowed into the channel Fig. IDO.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Vista general 128 as though after so many centu- of the San Miguel River not once del .Gran Panel- decorado. CHAPTER VIII. THE CAVES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RIBADESELLA

These are made up of tiny fossils and petrifications deposited along the slight slope of the ramp because they were heavier than the sand. A few yards away from the last painting of this extraordi- nary Art collection, this arm of the gallery starts narrowing gra- dually until it ends in a dead end where the waters bounced back looking for an easier way out through the sinkholes. Buried in the floor of the Great Panel area under a layer of sand about a foot and a half deep over another sand layer of

Fig. 99.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Horse painted with dark carmine- stain. unknown depth, was a deposit of Fig. 99.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Equido pintado en mancha de carmín-violáceo oscuro. utensils.

129 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

Fig. 101.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Tools deposits round at the foot of the mural. Fig. 101.-Cueva Tito Bustillo. Depósito de útiles hallados en la excavación al pie del mural.

This is al] together at the same level, no thicker than an inch or an inch and a ha i f, which 1 located after meticulous soun- dings and no less a meticulous excavation directed by García Guinea. It revealed a small but varied collection of utensils: flint blades, scrapers, , punches and oyster shells with remains of colors in the bottom that may have been used by

Fig. 102.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Deer (2) painted in hlack line, first figures of the -Great wall". Fig. 102.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Cérvidos 1') en 130 lírica negra . primeras figuras del «Gran Panel». CHAPTER V111. THE CAVES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RIBADESELLA

Fig. 103.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Head of "Fat Horse". Fig. 103.-Cueva Tito Bustillo. Cabeza del «caballo robusto».

painters as paint containers. There were even sorne small snail shells found, with a hole in them so they could be worn on a necklace or some other object of adornment. All this material can be dated within the Middle Can- tabrian Magdalenian period (fig. 101). There is one doubt concer- ning the location. Could this have come from some other part of the cave and been carried here by the water, or does it belong to

Fig. 104.- Tito Bustillo Cave. Small reindeer figure. Fig. 104.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Figura de reno. 131 PREHISTORIC CAVE ART

some particular moment of man's presence in Chis decorated crea, probably belonging to the very artists who rnade some of the paintings? What is very clear is that the depth of this deposit is quite shallow and it can only belong to one particular moment at this cite, probably the last one. On rnuch of the floor there are remains of black and violet-pur- ple colors, and as 1 have already mentioned, some oyster shells containing remains of colors. Other earlier deposits could have been carried down by the water through sinkholes leading to the San Miguel River. What 1 mean by this is that the deposit we find today at the foot of the decorated wall cannot in any way show the chronology of all these pain- tings, since its shallowness shows just one brief stay. and the compositions on the Great Panel. with their varied techni- que and style, show us that this work was accomplished in diffe- rent stages. Results of Carbon 14 tests made on samples from this deposit give it an approximate age of 14,500 years. Before the start of this won- derful stylistic composition, there are some bright red stains upon an outcropping of rock that stand out as a colorful prologue. The surface of the Great Panel also has a red-tinged primer coat and 1 suppose that this sort of

Fig. 105.-Tito Bustillo Cave. Paintings on the "Great Panel". Fie. 105.- Cueva Tito Bustillo. Pinturas del 132 "Gran panel". CHAPTER VIII. THE CAVES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RIBADESELLA

133