Cueva del Conejar opens its doors to the public after decades of archaeological research

Cueva del Conejar, one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the Cáceres area, opened its doors to the public as part of Las Noches del Patrimonio. The initiative provided an opportunity to share with the public the knowledge generated through decades of archaeological research and to offer first-hand insight into the archaeological, palaeontological and geological significance of the site.

IPHES-CERCA has coordinated archaeological research at Cueva del Conejar for many years within the framework of the Primeros Pobladores de Extremadura project, directed by Dr Antoni Canals, a researcher at IPHES-CERCA and professor at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). Research carried out at the site has documented different periods of human occupation and uncovered numerous remains that contribute to reconstructing the prehistory of the Cáceres area.

In this context, opening the cave to the public represents a further step in the commitment to transferring the knowledge generated by scientific research to society. Giving people the opportunity to visit the site and learn directly about the results of the research helps connect the work of research teams with the wider public and reinforces the role of archaeological heritage as a resource for knowledge, education and outreach.

To make public access possible, the site was adapted to ensure accessibility, safety and conservation, and a visitor route, information panels and other outreach resources were installed to facilitate understanding of the site. The project was promoted by Cáceres City Council through the Consorcio Cáceres Ciudad Histórica and received funding from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan through the European Union’s NextGenerationEU funds.

Cueva del Conejar forms part of a group of archaeological sites in the Cáceres area that have been the subject of research for decades. The long-term work carried out within the Primeros Pobladores de Extremadura project has helped expand our knowledge of prehistoric human occupations in this territory and place sites such as Conejar and Maltravieso within the broader context of research into human evolution and the prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula.

Coinciding with the first visits, Dr Antoni Canals gave two talks on Cueva del Conejar and the research carried out at the site. The activities generated considerable public interest: approximately 320 places were available, while requests were received from more than 1,100 people.

The opening of Cueva del Conejar therefore represents a further initiative to return to society the knowledge built up through years of scientific research, while also helping to raise awareness of the importance of preserving, studying and sharing archaeological heritage.