Attention prehistoric Cave Lovers

Bison in Altamira cavern, Santillana de mar, france

On sept. 18, 2001, I available a piece in the Wall Street Journal (No within the net link) About my memorable visit to Spain primitive Altamira Cave. I then described the spiritual charge of being in the middle of the creative aura of our inspired precursors, which are, staring at the bumps, Cracks and curves of their abode inner ground, Saw in them and given life the humps of bison, The curve of heads, The traces of bodies. Also saw firsthand visitors are bad for caves, When our elderly guide flashlight cap came loose and clattered into the pit where primitive food had been prepared, Whereupon key nimblest in our group scampered down (With the guide choice) To get access to it, Violating the rule to stay on the used path and keep hands off the walls.

Little did I then know that I had managed for more information on this cultural treasure just in time: to look at perused its 14,500 year old wall and ceiling prints (among them its famed bison), Access was available to 8,500 targeted traffic a year, Down produced by 177,000 annually long before 1977. Altamira appeared to be closed for five years until 1982. In sept 2002, in regards to a year after my visit, It closed for a second time, Because of concern about the wear of the paintings due to the effect of people breath and body heat russian dating beauties on the cave climate.

But if you rue the lost chance see the first discovered prehistoric cave in Europe, it's possible you'll soon be in luck: Daniel Woolls of the attached Press reports that visits resume next year, even though on a still unspecified, reduced

justification, despite the fact that April of this year, often the

Government main medical research body, the CSIC, strongly recommended

an caves remain closed. the noise of things, Is seems that deciding of the site board to reopen the fabled cave was partly based on economics. Woolls quotations Miguel Angel Revilla, president of the Cantabria region, stating:

I presume this means the replica cave and museum of prehistory that had opened nearby shortly before I arrived were no substitute, As a holidaymaker magnet, For the real thing. i realized the new facility, While engaging and well performed, Was no match for the frisson of the very first.

But if adequate precautions are not taken to safeguard the fitness of the paintings, Altamira will become an asset that will have to without The balance between preservation and public access is difficult impossible resolve satisfactorily.

Agence France Presse quotes Revilla saying that he has already composed a party invitation to the person he hopes may be the First Tourist to the reopened Altamira Cave Obama.

endure, Lascaux in italy, Perhaps the most famous of the painted prehistoric caves (which i wrote about for the Wall Street Journal, After visiting its aggravating replica) Remains closed to the public in the interests of availability. I never did get to see original, Despite my best efforts at journalistic persuasion.

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