Pekárna Cave

Pekárna is a cave in the Moravian Karst in the Czech Republic, ranking among the country's most significant archaeological sites. Located in the municipality of Mokrá-Horákov near Brno, over a century of research here has uncovered a settlement record stretching from the Lower Paleolithic all the way to the Bronze Age.

What does the cave look like?

The cave takes the form of a long tunnel roughly 64 meters long and 2-3 meters high. Its entrance, however, is far more dramatic - about 23 meters wide and 6 meters high, shaped in a way that resembles a traditional bread oven. That resemblance is exactly where the name comes from: "pekárna" is the Czech word for bakery.

What has been discovered inside?

Systematic exploration of the cave began in the late 19th century, but the most important excavations were carried out by archaeologist Karel Absolon between 1925 and 1930. His work exposed a long stratigraphic sequence of cultural layers spanning the Lower Paleolithic through the Bronze Age - a continuity of occupation rarely found in a single site.

Pekárna is considered the key Magdalenian site in Moravia, documenting the development of this late Upper Paleolithic reindeer-hunter culture across several successive layers. Radiometric dating places the Magdalenian layers at roughly 13,000 to 12,500 years before present. Plant and animal remains from this period point to an open grassland landscape dominated by pine, with a broader warming and moistening trend interrupted by a drier spell.

Among the cave's most valuable finds are engravings on the ribs of hoofed animals - one rib carries depictions of three bison, another shows grazing horses. These pieces of portable (mobiliary) art rank among the most important evidence of artistic activity by hunter-gatherers in this part of Europe.

Karel Absolon regarded Pekárna as one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and presented his findings at international congresses.

Where is Pekárna cave located?

The cave lies in the Moravian Karst, in the municipality of Mokrá-Horákov in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, close to Brno. Its coordinates are approximately 49.24°N, 16.75°E.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the name Pekárna come from? The name comes from the shape of the cave's entrance, which resembles a traditional bread oven - "pekárna" means bakery in Czech.

How big is Pekárna cave? The main passage is about 64 meters long and 2-3 meters high, while the entrance itself is considerably larger, around 23 meters wide and 6 meters high.

Who excavated the cave? The most important excavations were led by Czech archaeologist Karel Absolon between 1925 and 1930, though research at the site began already in the late 19th century.

What time periods are represented in the finds? The stratigraphic sequence spans layers from the Lower Paleolithic to the Bronze Age, with the Magdalenian layers from about 13,000-12,500 years ago being especially significant.

What is the mobiliary art found at Pekárna? It consists of animal engravings on animal ribs - bison and horses - among the oldest and most valuable examples of Ice Age portable art in the region.