It's been called the "Sistine Chapel of paleolithic art," and it's been closed to the public for more than a decade -- until now.
Yesterday, five members
of the public who entered a draw were given a guided tour of the
extraordinary prehistoric paintings within the Altamira cave in northern
Spain.
The vivid images, up to
20,000 years old, depict an extinct species of bison, wild boar and
other animals, along with sprayed hand prints and engravings.
The visit of a lucky few
to the twisting, 300-meter-long cave -- sealed in pristine condition by a
rockfall for 13,000 years before its discovery in 1879 -- serves a
wider purpose beyond their own amazement, however.
Small groups drawn from
visitors to the nearby museum on one randomly selected day each week
until August will be used to test any destructive impact a human
presence might have on the ancient paintings through changes in
humidity, temperature, CO2 levels and microbiological contamination, the Guardian reports.
Wearing protective
clothing, masks and shoes, the visitors get a tour of the cave lasting
just over half an hour, only a portion of which is to be spent gazing at
the rock art.
The results will help to
determine whether the cave, in the Cantabria region, should be reopened
to the public permanently -- a boon to the local economy but an outcome
opposed by some scientists.
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