The Neocave is the recreation of the Altamira cave as it was during the Palaeolithic period, the time it which it was inhabited and its art painted. It reconstructs the original geological architecture before natural landslides occurred in prehistoric times and, thus regaining its large manhole.
Before entering the Neocave a short film presents the entire prehistory and history of Altamira, and once inside you will witness a glimpse of the daily life of its inhabitants: the camp of a Magdalenian human group. You’ll see an archaeological dig in progress, the remains of a cave bear that died millennia ago during hibernation, and finally reach the great painted ceiling, the most spectacular artistic manifestation of the cave.
The most famous image of Altamira is the herd of bison, males and females. You can see in them the main features of Paleolithic art in a grade of excellence: drawing, printmaking, painting and polychrome. The artist incorporated the natural cracks and deformations of the rock to create the figures of animals, and represented them well in their various positions habitual lying, alert, bellowing, head back, galloping, always identifying the most characteristic features in each species of animal.
The art of Altamira cave extends all the way inland to her Gallery.
At the end, presented at the Neocave departure hall, are the expected amazing and spectral masks,
another characteristic of Altamira's representations.
This selection of animals, symbols and figures represent an almost human way of understanding the world, the spirituality of hunting societies Upper Palaeolithic and the beginning of our history.
