Cave of Chufín

Cave of Chufín

Location	Rionansa (Cantabria), Spain
Coordinates	43°17′26″N 4°27′29″W
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Chufín
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, iii
Designated	1985 (9th session)
Part of	Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain
Reference no.	310-007
Region	Europe and North America
Buffer zone	16.65 ha (41.1 acres)
Spanish Cultural Heritage
Official name	Cueva del Chufin y Chufin IV
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	27 March 2000
Reference no.	RI-51-0010522

The cave of Chufín is located in the town of Riclones in Rionansa (Cantabria), Spain. Situated at the confluence of the Lamasón and Nansa rivers, several caves ornamented with rock art pock the steep slopes above the water. Chufín is one of the caves included in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites under the entry Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain

It was discovered by the photographer Manuel de Cos Borbolla, a native of Rabago (Cantabria).

In Chufín were found different levels of occupation, the oldest being around 20000 years old. The small cave has some subtle engravings and paintings of red deer, goats, and cattle, all represented very schematically.

Also found in the cave were many symbols. One group, called type "sticks", accompanies the paintings inside animals. There are also many drawings using points (puntillaje), including one which has been interpreted as a representation of a vulva.

See also

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

External links

• Human Timeline (Interactive) – Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History (August 2016).