VITORIA.DV. The finding, in August 2006, a series of cave paintings in Praileaitz I completely changed the rating and direction of a cave in which the team led by archaeologist Xabier Peñalver had already made important discoveries, including a spectacular collection of pendants Magdalenian. Praileaitz I, it had not appeared paints cave which guaranteed the highest level of protection would have ceased to exist before the advance of the quarry became the third cavity Guipuzcoa rock art, after Ekain and Altxerri.
The first expert report on the paintings, a series of dots and red lines that are linked to the alleged use of the cave ritual was performed by the doctor in Prehistory Marcos García Díez, which established the antiquity of this group of type so far unheard of in the Basque Country between 15,000 and 20,000 years. Following that first report that established the basic features of the paintings, no evidence has been deepened in the study of them.
The second report yesterday, Miren Azkarate reported that his department had commissioned a study on strokes Praileaitz I to "a specialist in Prehistory at the international level apart from the controversy and, therefore, without prejudices."
The author of that now is the second report paints Praileaitz the British archaeologist Paul Pettitt, Professor of Palaeolithic Archaeology at the University of Sheffield, specialized according to their own presentation, "in the Middle and Upper Paleolithic in Europe and the Middle Stone Age in Africa", with specific interest in lithic technology and rock art and furniture of the Upper Paleolithic period covered by the paintings of Praileaitz I . Pettitt also formed part of the team that discovered in 2003 the only two so far known caves with rock art in the United Kingdom, located in Creswell Crags and also affected by the activity of a quarry. A dedicated analysis, along with Paul Bahn and Professor of Prehistory and Archaeology of the UNED Sergio Ripoll, one of his last works, Paleolithic Cave Art at Creswell Crags in European Context " published in March 2007 by Oxford University Press.
Dr. Pettitt, who visited the cave on Monday and Tuesday of last week, has not yet completed its report, but has already passed his first impressions of the Ministry of Culture. "Please refer to the report of Marcos García-informed and the counselor told us that in 90% subscribed." Pettitt also "supports the importance of Praileaitz paintings in the context of non-figurative rock art ', and interprets it as a sign of" the human will to make its mark. " Traces, indeed, that according to Paul Pettitt measurements correspond to a right hand. One aspect highlighted by the doctor Pettitt, coinciding with the views of Mark Garcia, is the extreme fragility of the media that chose who wanted to leave his mark on Praileaitz I: the flags, a type of geological formation of stalagmites origin particularly vulnerable. Minimum
Paul Pettitt
activity was, in the words of Miren Azkarate, very concerned about the fact that changes in the regime of the cave environment may affect the formations in which there are paintings and cause damage to them. To avoid or reduce the maximum recommended "control the road that runs above the cave and water seepage." Know that the track in question is now closed as result of the implementation of the decree to protect and recover its original cover reassured Pettitt, provided by Miren Azkarate.
also consider that under present conditions "the paintings are so far safe from the quarry activity," Pettitt says that the main enemy is the same man. So, has recommended "minimizing the number of visitors and restrict the maximum human activity", including archaeologists, because "if they continue the excavations in the lobby and the first room, all that is widening the cave can cause air currents that damage to the paintings. " A Pettitt suggestions, a supporter of "international forums disclose the finding of Praileaitz to know what the scientific community" is that "taking into account the impact of the excavations to the granting of permits, evaluating the scientific interest against risk behavior. "
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