Price: Kozarnika is a cave in northwestern Bulgaria , located between the town of Belogradchik and Oreshets . To the left of the road in the direction Oreshets a signboard , followed by 10 minutes walking along a marked trail . The total length of the cave is 128 meters and the height of the seats up to 7 m in the cave since 1996 carried out archaeological excavations . They reveal kasnopaleolitna culture from 37 to 34 century AD . It is significantly different from its modern findings in the Dark Hole and Bacho Kiro , showing similarities to the cultures prevalent in Western Europe a few centuries later.
The cave was inhabited during the middle Paleolithic , but the most important are the lower layers. They are dated aged 1.4 million years ago . They found a tooth of the representative of the genus Homo, possibly Homo erectus. If the dating is correct , this would be the oldest record of human presence in Europe.
A curious fact is that the results of archaeological research today are due to the fact lucky coincidence . "Cave Kozarnika " and the other cave " Smelly " years ago were envisaged for the development of business and, according to locals - even bomb shelters. It is said that there were ideas to make caves in bars, pens , mushroom beds . Ugliest legend is a project under which they could be used for the storage of hazardous waste.
Especially bitter scientific controversy caused no bones made them sharp that some say they have received as a result of the accident , but deliberately made by the forefathers . This hypothesis mobilize serious opposition from scientists demonstrating the ability for symbolic thought - that human need to mark with signs nature - occurred some 50 000 years ago.
Today archaeologists are progressing very slowly and have already developed an area of about 7 square meters to 750 meters depth. Work is developing at such a rate as virtually every handful of soil should be carefully searched for traces of human presence.
Tourists decided to visit the site will enjoy a great view , which opens at the entrance of the cave. Although excavations carried out to this day remains unguarded object.
In the vicinity of the cave is the river Skomlya with great places for picnics and outdoor recreation .
- Caves
