Býcí skála Cave
Encyclopedia
Býčí skála Cave is part of the second longest cave
system in the Czech Republic
. It is also famous for archaeological findings.
The cave is located in the central part of Moravian Karst
, in Josefovské Valley (Josefovské údolí) between the town Adamov
and village Křtiny. Together with the cave system Rudické propadání Býčí skála forms the second longest cave system in the country after the Amatérská Cave. Its known length is over 13 km.
The entrance to the cave was always known. First written mention comes from 1669. During 1867-1873 the part named Předsíně was explored by archaeologist Jindřich Wankel
who discovered a Paleolithic
settlement from around 100,000 - 10,000 BCE.
Later, a statuette of a bronze bull was found and starting in 1872 a large Hallstatt culture
site had been excavated. The site contained animal and material offerings, crops, textiles, ceramic and sheet-metal vessels, jewellery, glass and amber beads.
According to Wankel skeletons of one man and 40 young women were found. Some women were beheaded, some missing legs or hands. On a small "altar" a skull and cut hands were placed. Wankel's romantic interpretation was that he discovered a grave with a nobleman accompanied by ritually killed women.
Other theories suggest massacre of people hiding in the cave during a war or explosion of a gas or dust. Later research identified 17 skeletons as men; the people ranged from children up to 50-60 years old.
In 1920, when water was pumped out another cave was discovered, the "Nová býčí skála" (The New Bull Rock Cave), with a Jedovnický brook (Jedovnický potok) running through it.
During World War II
Nazis build an underground factory in the cave, damaging the entrance part. After the war few more caves has been discovered (Sobolova (Barová), Májová, Prolomená and Proplavaná). In 1992 exploration of the brook was completed.
The cave contains a Neolithic
picture, currently the oldest cave painting known in the Czech Republic. It depicts a geometrical shape resembling a grill with a size of 30x40 cm, painted by coal on the cave wall. The carbon was dated with the C14
radio-carbon method
to be 5,200 years old. The pattern resembles decorations on some ceramic vessels from that period. http://www.blanensko.info/article_read.php?article=791
Except for the entrance the cave is not accessible to the public. Infrequently it gets opened for the visitors.
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
system in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. It is also famous for archaeological findings.
The cave is located in the central part of Moravian Karst
Moravian Karst
The Moravian Karst is a karst landscape and protected nature reserve to the north of Brno in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, located near the town of Blansko. It encompasses a number of notable geological features, including roughly 1100 caverns and gorges and covers an area of roughly 92...
, in Josefovské Valley (Josefovské údolí) between the town Adamov
Adamov (Blansko District)
Adamov is a town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, near Brno and Blansko.In St. Barbara Church. a wooden Gothic altarpiece is found called the Zwettl Altar , which embodies a preserved part of the original sculpture carved for the Zwettl Abbey in the early 16th century....
and village Křtiny. Together with the cave system Rudické propadání Býčí skála forms the second longest cave system in the country after the Amatérská Cave. Its known length is over 13 km.
The entrance to the cave was always known. First written mention comes from 1669. During 1867-1873 the part named Předsíně was explored by archaeologist Jindřich Wankel
Jindrich Wankel
Jindřich Wankel was Czech palaeontologist and archaeologist.Studied as medical doctor he came to work into area of Moravský kras in 1847 and since 1849 lived in Blansko...
who discovered a Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
settlement from around 100,000 - 10,000 BCE.
Later, a statuette of a bronze bull was found and starting in 1872 a large Hallstatt culture
Hallstatt culture
The Hallstatt culture was the predominant Central European culture from the 8th to 6th centuries BC , developing out of the Urnfield culture of the 12th century BC and followed in much of Central Europe by the La Tène culture.By the 6th century BC, the Hallstatt culture extended for some...
site had been excavated. The site contained animal and material offerings, crops, textiles, ceramic and sheet-metal vessels, jewellery, glass and amber beads.
According to Wankel skeletons of one man and 40 young women were found. Some women were beheaded, some missing legs or hands. On a small "altar" a skull and cut hands were placed. Wankel's romantic interpretation was that he discovered a grave with a nobleman accompanied by ritually killed women.
Other theories suggest massacre of people hiding in the cave during a war or explosion of a gas or dust. Later research identified 17 skeletons as men; the people ranged from children up to 50-60 years old.
In 1920, when water was pumped out another cave was discovered, the "Nová býčí skála" (The New Bull Rock Cave), with a Jedovnický brook (Jedovnický potok) running through it.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Nazis build an underground factory in the cave, damaging the entrance part. After the war few more caves has been discovered (Sobolova (Barová), Májová, Prolomená and Proplavaná). In 1992 exploration of the brook was completed.
The cave contains a Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
picture, currently the oldest cave painting known in the Czech Republic. It depicts a geometrical shape resembling a grill with a size of 30x40 cm, painted by coal on the cave wall. The carbon was dated with the C14
Carbon-14
Carbon-14, 14C, or radiocarbon, is a radioactive isotope of carbon with a nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons. Its presence in organic materials is the basis of the radiocarbon dating method pioneered by Willard Libby and colleagues , to date archaeological, geological, and hydrogeological...
radio-carbon method
Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
to be 5,200 years old. The pattern resembles decorations on some ceramic vessels from that period. http://www.blanensko.info/article_read.php?article=791
Except for the entrance the cave is not accessible to the public. Infrequently it gets opened for the visitors.
External links
- Short overview
- History of discoveries in the cave (in Czech)
- Moravian Karst website
- Býčí skála website (in Czech)
- Rudické propadání website (in Czech)
- The bull statuette