Cave sealed for 40,000 years opened - what was found changes human history

 Archaeologists were left gobsmacked after unsealing a cave that had remained untouched for 40,000 years. They now reckon their find has "changed human history".

Gorham's Cave in Gibraltar is thought to be among the final Neanderthal strongholds on Earth. The whole Iberian Peninsula is considered to have served as one of the last sanctuaries for these ancient humans as their numbers declined worldwide.

Gibraltar even holds the distinction of being where the first Neanderthal skull was unearthed back in 1848, reports the Express. Previously, experts reckoned these prehistoric hominins died out on the island around 42,000 years back.

But after delving into Gorham's Cave lately, they're beginning to wonder just how long ago the Neanderthals actually lived. It's now suspected they might have inhabited the Rock as recently as 24,000 years ago.

The researchers describe this as "quite recent" and claim it "changes human history".

IFLScience reports: "It is typically held that these hominins went extinct around 40,000 years ago, but the artifacts in Gibraltar suggest some populations might have held on much longer."

Gorham's Cave earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2016 thanks to its historical importance.

It was uncovered in 1907 by Captain A. Gorham of the 2nd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers whilst he was opening a crack in the rocks.

The cavern is believed to have been lost to memory for more than 40 years before being found again in 1940, with archaeological investigations taking place four decades afterwards.

It forms part of a quartet of caves situated within the towering limestone cliffs on Gibraltar's eastern side. Alongside Gorham's Cave, the group includes Vanguard Cave, Hyaena Cave, and Bennett's Cave.

The Neanderthals are believed to have inhabited this region for approximately 100,000 years. In UNESCO's official recognition of Gorham's Cave, they state: "This exceptional testimony to the cultural traditions of the Neanderthals is seen notably in evidence of the hunting of birds and marine animals for food, the use of feathers for ornamentation and the presence of abstract rock engravings."

The organisation notes that scientific research within these caves has "contributed substantially to debates about Neanderthal and human evolution".

Digs at Gorham's Cave have unearthed numerous prehistoric relics including charcoal, bones, stone implements and charred seeds. Meanwhile, beneath 39,000 year old layers, researchers uncovered the "world's oldest abstract art" within Gorham's Cave during a 2012 dig.

The creation featured a pattern of crossing lines carved into a rocky shelf. It sits roughly 100m deep within the cave on what experts think served as a resting area.

In 2021, scientists found a fresh chamber in the neighbouring Vanguard Cave - which belongs to the broader Gorham's Cave network - containing lynx, hyaena and griffon vulture bones alongside what they suspect is a large whelk.

Clive Finlayson, the director and chief scientist at the Gibraltar National Museum, revealed to CNN: "The whelk is at the back of that cave... it's probably about 20 meters from the beach. Somebody took that whelk in there... over 40,000 years ago. So that's already given me a hint that people have been in there, which is not perhaps too surprising. Those people, because of the age, can only be Neanderthals."

He further expressed his excitement, saying: "How many times in your life are you going to find something that nobody's been into for 40,000 years? It only comes once in your lifetime, I think."