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minute offers! Great hotel rates for SUMMER 2012! CALLCENTER: 004 0766 264 594
PETRALONA
CAVE HANIOTI - HALKIDIKI - KASSANDRA
Located
about 78 km northwest of Neos Marmaras, Petralona cave is one of the most visited
tourist attractions of Chalkidiki peninsula. It
was in this cave where the skull of the oldest specimen of Homo sapiens on the
European continent, Archanthropus petraloniensis europaeus was
found.
Situated
on the western slope of Mount Katsiki, at 300 m altitude, the cave was discovered
five decades ago by a resident of Petralona and so winning international recognition,when
he brought to light the Archanthropus. This happened in 1960.
Measurements made on the cave's stratigraphy, where Archanthropus europaeus petraloniensis
was identified, Paleolithic tools analisys and specific paleofaunei diagnosis,
present in all the 34 layers brings scientists to the conclusion that this skeleton
is 700,000 years old.
The skull, in perfect preservation, lacking only the lower jaw, belongs to a man
who died at 32 years old, at a relatively advanced age for the standards of those
times.
Other fossils
where found in this cave. They belong to the oldest fire ignited by man dating
back 1 million years, which shows that prehistoric hominids had already inhabited
the cave at that time.
It
is assumed that they chose the cave as a shelter in the early Pleistocene, 1.7
million years ago, because of the cold weather. The air temperature inside the
cave remained constant throughout the year.
Among
the fossil species of animals found in the cave with Archanthropus europaeus petraloniensis
include: lions, hyenas, bears, panthers, elephants, rhinos, bison, deer, horses,
25 species of birds, 16 species of rodents and 17 species of bats.
Many
fragments of bones, skulls, jaws and teeth of animals and tools of flint, quartz
and bauxite have been presented to the visitors in the Museum of Anthropology
which is located nearby.
A
special contribution to confirming the human's age had the advanced methods of
nuclear physics, applied to fragments of bone, clay, stalagmites, stalactites
and fossilized ash.
The
cave has a 100 m long tunnel at the entrance. This tunnel was dug into the mountain
slope deposits by erosion, which had covered the former natural input. Specially
designed walkways crossing illuminated rooms, in which life-size dioramas show
the inhabitants of the prehistoric cave warming up near fires.
Visiting
the caves is permitted daily from 9 am and closing one hour before sunset (at
8 pm between May and October, respectively, at 5 pm from November-April).
Using
cameras and filmed inside the cave is completely forbidden for security reasons.
The
fare, which, in addition, offers access to the caves, visiting the Museum of Anthropology,
is 7 €. For groups exceeding 25 persons it is 5 € for one person.
Last
minute offers! Great hotel rates for SUMMER 2012! CALLCENTER: 004 0766 264 594
Located
about 78 km northwest of Neos Marmaras, Petralona cave is one of the most visited
tourist attractions of Chalkidiki peninsula. It
was in this cave where the skull of the oldest specimen of Homo sapiens on the
European continent, Archanthropus petraloniensis europaeus was
found.