In Irikaitz is a pendant of about 25,000 years

2011/08/10 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Paleontologia
• Arkeologia

At the site of Irikaitz de Zestoa has been found a pendant that can reach 25,000 years. It is the oldest of the Iberian peninsula in an outdoor excavation. It is a stone of 9 cm. with a hole to carry it hanging. And, according to the first studies, it is not only a pendant, but, as explained by the director of the excavation, Alvaro Arrizabalaga, has indications that it was used as a working tool, for example to sharpen other instruments. "Most of the devices were of fire. The volcano is very sharp when it leaves, but with the use it breaks and you have to sharpen the useful from time to time. This requires a deer branch, a piece of bone, or a soft stone like this."

For fourteen years excavating in Irikaitz and Arrizabalaga has made it clear that it is a productive site: "It's a very spectacular piece. But here almost every year has come out some archaeological piece of great quality. And some years, also 8-10. It is a very prosperous place".

Arrizabalaga highlights the value of the pendant being so old. "When a pendant appears it always has a special importance, but the older it is, the more important the discovery is. They do not appear in the first human species. The first appear in the last Neanderthals, but in general it can be said that they are characteristic of our species".

In addition, Arrizabalaga highlights that one of these elements is found in an outdoor site. "There are very few outdoor sites. In addition, pendants are usually of organic raw materials, which are lost in outdoor deposits. The shells or fangs disappear here. We have found it because it is stone. But, however, finding a piece of this full size and untouched at 80,000 square meters is statistically a discovery of great luck."

The men of the time of the pendant were very similar to the present, and Arrizabalaga believes that the fact that the pendant was not merely decorative can give what to think. In his opinion, when interpreting elements like this pendant, we tend to use the filter of the current culture, giving it too much symbolic importance. Although these elements have been elaborated by our species, it must be taken into account that the current cultural values have evolved and evolved over time. When finding a pendant, "we can also think in a very symbolic way, but perhaps it was simply an instrument that was hung to have it always close and not lose it."

Image: Image: Aranzadi