Denisova Cave

Denisova Cave is an interesting place on the border of the Altai Republic and the Altai Territory. The height of the natural landmark is almost 700 meters. It is named after Dionysius, an Old Believer who lived in the cave for a long time. People who remained faithful to the old faith came to him for advice. Every year, many tourists from Altai wish to visit a unique natural monument, and it is quite easy to get to the cave. For the ancient people, the cave's position was very advantageous - it was protected, and there was a drinking water source nearby. Before the appearance of man on these lands, animals found shelter in it.

Scientific research

The first known excavations began to be carried out only in the early 80s of the twentieth century. Some of the most ancient archaeological finds attest to human habitation here for more than 280,000 years. The cave is considered one of the oldest in Asia, and the area of its largest room is about 300 square meters. When scientists realized that there were still many unsolved mysteries in the Denisova Cave, a scientific parking lot was organized near the attraction. Now it has turned into a large scientific center, where hundreds of scientists work.

Animal and plant remains, jewelry, and weapons were found in the Denisova Cave. All the finds allow us to immerse ourselves in the history of human development in the Altai territory. Thanks to the conducted research, the flora and fauna of various periods have been partially identified. Bison, yaks, cave bears, and marals used to run on the territory of Altai. The remains of some of them can be seen in various museums.

Features of Denisova Cave

Jewelry is of particular interest among human creations. They are mainly made of animal teeth, shells, stones and other improvised means. An unusual relic is a bracelet that is over 40,000 years old. The chloritolite from which it is made has the ability to change color under different lighting conditions. The bracelet has slots for the lace, which has been drilled with special devices. The principle of their operation is similar to modern devices. With just one bracelet, scientists were able to conclude that the ancient people were highly developed. The remains of a Denisovan man were found in the cave. When analyzing the DNA of the findings, it can be concluded that it was a unique species. These people lived about 50,000 years ago.

The legend of Denisova Cave

It's hard to find a cave that doesn't have a single legend. It was believed that a great shaman used to live here, who tried to subjugate all the local tribes. But not everyone wanted to obey him, and then people were forced to ask Ulgen, the local God, for help. He defeated the evil shaman, and his thunderstone was buried in a cave. People believe that if you take even a small piece of a boulder, it will rain for a long time. Today, a large number of tourists come here. It will not be possible to get to Denisova Cave by car, as there is no high-quality road. They usually travel by jeep from the village of Cherny Anui.