Parque Natural de Urkiola · Ayuntamiento de Abadiño

Archaeology in Urkiola

Urkiola prehistoric heritage

Since the initial research work by J.M. de Barandiarán and T. de Aranzadi, valuable information about the earliest occupants of Urkiola has been lost. The main reasons for this loss of the prehistoric heritage are set out below:

- The quarries. Urkiola has been affected by the disappearance of archaeological sites as the result of quarrying. In Mañaria, there are four cave settlements that have disappeared as the result of the quarrying for limestone: Sailleunta o San Lorenzo, Atxuri I, Atxuri II and Azkondo. While only two areas were affected in Abadiño: the Astakoba and Asuntze caves.

- Forestry: The forestry techniques used (intensive ploughing, opening up of tracks, etc) is one of aspects that has badly hit the Bizkaia Archaeological Heritage and this has been highlighted by different authors (Uriate 1998; López Quintana and Bazeta 2001).

- Raiders. This has also had an impact, particularly on the Archaeological Heritage of the caves. There is proof of clandestine removal of items in some Urkiola caves, which significantly altered the stratigraphy of some sites, such as in the Azkondo cave.

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