Cave of Maltravieso

Cave of Maltravieso is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Cáceres, in Spain's Extremadura region. Discovered in 1951 during quarry work, it preserves evidence of human presence dating back to the Middle Paleolithic, along with one of the richest collections of cave art on the Iberian Peninsula.

What can you see inside the cave?

The star attraction is a set of 71 hand stencils, created by pressing a hand against the wall and spraying pigment around it to leave its outline. Researchers only catalogued the full set in the 1990s, using ultraviolet photography to reveal marks invisible to the naked eye. Alongside the hand stencils, the walls also feature simple linear designs and a small number of animal figures.

The cave gained international attention after a 2018 study used uranium-thorium dating to estimate the age of one hand stencil at roughly 64,000 years. If accurate, that would place the artwork before modern humans arrived in Europe, raising the possibility that it was made by Neanderthals rather than Homo sapiens — a finding with major implications for how we understand Neanderthal cognitive and symbolic behavior. The interpretation remains disputed, with some researchers challenging the physical-chemical evidence behind the dating.

How do you get to the cave?

Maltravieso is located within the city of Cáceres, close to the historic old town that is itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Because the paintings are fragile and the interior space is limited, access is regulated — it's worth checking current visiting rules and whether advance booking is required, as availability is sometimes restricted to protect the site.

When is the best time to visit?

Extremadura has hot summers, so spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for exploring the area and combining a cave visit with a walk through Cáceres' old town. The cave's interior keeps a stable temperature year-round, but overall comfort during your trip depends on the weather outside.

Why is this site worth visiting?

Maltravieso is more than a tourist stop — it's a site of genuine scientific weight, one of the few places in Europe where the authorship of cave art is seriously debated between Neanderthals and modern humans rather than assumed to be exclusively human. The combination of archaeology, the history of science, and the striking visual pattern of the hand stencils makes it a distinctive stop in Extremadura.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the Cave of Maltravieso on your own? Access to the interior is often restricted to protect the paintings, so it's best to check current visiting arrangements with local authorities or on-site information before planning your trip.

How old are the hand stencils in the cave? One stencil was dated in 2018 using the uranium-thorium method to around 64,000 years old, though this interpretation is still debated among scientists.

Is it true the paintings might have been made by Neanderthals rather than modern humans? That's what the 2018 dating suggests — if confirmed, it would shift the authorship of the oldest known cave art to Neanderthals, though the results remain a subject of active scientific debate.

How does Maltravieso differ from other caves near Cáceres? Maltravieso stands out for the sheer number of hand stencils (71) and for the scientific significance of its disputed cave-art dating, setting it apart from other, less-studied caves in the region.