Denisova Cave
Denisova Cave is an interesting place on the border of the Altai Republic and the Altai Territory. The height of the natural attraction 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 Altai tourists wish to visit a unique natural monument; getting to the cave is quite easy. For ancient people, the position of the cave was very advantageous - it was protected, and there was a source of drinking water nearby. Before humans appeared on these lands, animals found shelter in it.
Scientific research
The first excavations known to us began to be carried out only in the early 80s of the twentieth century. Some of the most ancient archaeological finds indicate 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 Denisova Cave, a scientific site was organized near the landmark. Now it has turned into a large scientific center where hundreds of scientists work.
The remains of animals and plants, jewelry, and weapons were discovered in Denisova Cave. All finds allow us to immerse ourselves in the history of human development in Altai. Thanks to the research, the flora and fauna of various periods were partially identified. Bison, yaks, cave bears, and deer used to run in Altai. The remains of some of them can be seen in various museums.
Features of Denisova Cave
Of human creations, jewelry is of particular interest. They are mainly made from animal teeth, shells, stones and other improvised materials. An unusual relic is a bracelet whose age exceeds 40,000 years. 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 were drilled with special tools. The principle of their operation is similar to modern devices. From just one bracelet, scientists were able to conclude that ancient people were highly developed. The remains of Denisovan man were discovered in the cave. When analyzing the DNA of the findings, we can conclude that this was a unique species. These people lived about 50,000 years ago.
The Legend of Denisova Cave
It is difficult to find a cave about which not a single legend has been told. It was believed that a great shaman used to live here and 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 buried his thunderstone in a cave. People believe that if you take even a small piece of a boulder, there will be downpours for a long time. Today a large number of tourists come here. It is not possible to get to Denisova Cave by car, since there is no high-quality road. Usually they get there by jeep from the village of Black Anui.
