Fossellone Cave

Fossellone Cave
Grotta del Fossellone
View of the cave
Fossellone Cave is located in Italy
Fossellone Cave
Location within Italy
LocationSan Felice Circeo, Italy
Coordinates41°13′25.52″N 13°04′47.06″E / 41.2237556°N 13.0797389°E / 41.2237556; 13.0797389
AccessPublic

The Fossellone Cave (Italian: Grotta del Fossellone) is a sea cave located in San Felice Circeo, Italy.

Location

The cave is located along the coast on the southern side of Mount Circeo in the comune of San Felice Circeo. Situated a few dozen meters west of the Impiso Cave, it can be accessed both by sea and by land via a footpath.

Description

It is so called because of its large circular opening, clearly visible from the sea, which was formed by the partial collapse of the vault. It consists of a central chamber and several smaller lateral chambers.

Archeological discoveries

The cave holds archaeological significance because of the discoveries made there which have been crucial for understanding prehistoric human occupation in the region, and especially that of the Neanderthals who populated the area during the Paleolithic period. The first systematic investigations began in 1937 under the direction of Alberto Carlo Blanc, with the participation of internationally renowned scholars such as Henri Breuil and Hugo Obermaier. Excavation activities were interrupted during World War II, resumed in 1947, and continued for several years, revealing a complex and well-preserved stratigraphy that documents multiple phases of human occupation.[1]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "La Grotta del Fossellone". Storia e Leggenda del Circeo (in Italian). Retrieved 25 February 2026.

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