Chufín (Rionansa, Cantabria)

The Chufín cave (also known as “Cueva del Moro Chufín”) is located in the Cantabrian municipality of Rionansa, on a cliff facing Northwest dominating the old course of the Lamasón River, very close to its confluence with the Nansa River. On this day, that valley is flooded by the Palombera reservoir, whose construction flooded part of its endokarstic development, generating an artificial lake in its final part. Its paleolithic art was discovered in 1972 by Manuel de Cos Borbolla, his sons and the reservoir guard, Primo González. It was studied by M. Almagro-Basch, who published the first information regarding his pictorial ensemble (whose tracings were drawn by P. Saura). The excavation of the entrance hall was entrusted to V. Cabrera and F. Bernardo de Quirós, who located (at least) an upper Solutrean level (well dated by C-14, and with characteristic industries), and a lower level less diagnostic. Since 2021, we are developing a project of investigation, directed by Diego Garate, which will consist of carrying out two surveys at the entrance and an archaeological review of the internal sectors.

Its development is relatively simple (just made up of a gallery of about 40 meters of development), with only a crawlway at the beginning, and some shelves in its final area. An intensive speleological exploration has been scheduled to see if there may be prehistoric remains beyond the lake. Regarding the parietal art, the cave has a unique set of exterior engravings, in which figures of hinds and probable bison have been recognized, very similar to those found in other caves in the region (especially in the Nalón valley in Asturias), and an interior complex characterized by abstract red figures (points, paired lines, bars), animals in a very summary format and some indeterminate horse, bison and various engravings. The whole set seems to be framed in ancient moments of the Upper Paleolithic, although a more in-depth review of some of the motifs is necessary in order to better characterize it. The first campaign to study the cave has made it possible to document an extensive internal archaeological context, composed of evidence of all kinds (charcoal, ocher, animal and human bones, lithic industry in flint and quartzite), which is a reflection of the intense use it had in the prehistory. The vestibule has confirmed the presence of an upper Solutrean occupation, thanks to the discovery of a director fossil (a foliaceus point).