June 13 Guided visit to the home of Neanderthal Man in Torre Pacheco

The Sima de las Palomas is a 20-metre-deep vertical shaft in the mountain of Cabezo Gordo, and has been in the spotlight of palaeontologists since 1991, when caver Juan Carlos Blanco Gago discovered part of a Neanderthal skeleton while he was descending into the cavity.

Since then, further investigation has confirmed that the shaft was used as a shelter by Neanderthals, and various more skeletal remains have been found, and this free guided visit on Sunday 13^th June is chance to see where they took shelter from the elements and from wild animals. The findings have made this the most important Neanderthal site along the Mediterranean coastline and the second most important in all of Spain, behind that of Atapuerca in the north of the Iberian Peninsula.

Also included is a quick visit to the Cueva del Agua, a fomer mine containing a natural lake and home to 5 different species of bats!

The visit begins at 19.00 in the car parking area on the southern slope of Cabezo Gordo and lasts approximately two hours. Registration costs only 3 euros and can be completed online here.

For more upcoming events in the Region of Murcia go to the What’s on section of Murcia Today.