The Cova de l’or is located in the municipality of Beniarrés (Alicante) Spain, dominating the valley of the Alcoy river.

This cave was discovered by Rafael Pardo

They found:

bone spoons remains of domestic animals

In the cave we can also find:- Personal ornaments - Polished stone tools- Carbonized cereals- Neolithic pottery of singular beauty.

The carbon 14 test of some objects dates them in 4670 B.C The found material is exposed in the archaeological museum Camil Visedo of Alcoy.

It is a cave with excellent conditions of habitability that hosted one of the groups of farmers and ranchers pioneers of Mediterranean origin. These caves were explored again by the museum of Alcoy and they started excavation campaigns.

The wealth and importance of the site, especially its ceramics decorated with the edge of a shell of cardium printing, it quickly became key to the Valencian Neolithic research.

THE DAILY LIFE IN THE COVA DE L’OR

When the first Neolithic groups arrived, Perputxent Valley had reached the climax in temperature and humidity of the Atlantic period. This conditioned the splendorous Mediterranean Oak forests.

The farmer way of life required to manufacture new household items, which were ceramic vessels used to cook and store. Flint blades used as knives and bone spoons confirm changes in food habits, now based on cereals and legumes.

The rich decoration of printed ceramics contains a wide repertoire of anthropomorphic motifs that are related to paintings.That confirms that the first Neolithic communities were the authors of those paintings and that, in accordance with the central theme of the human figure with raised arms, paintings and vessels would have a religious purpose.

Jordi Cortés Hidalgo