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Szelim Cave

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Lat/Long:
47.59, 18.4
Country:
Hungary
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The Szelim cave (Hungarian: Szelim-barlang or Szelim-lyuk (Szelim hole), Bánhidai nagy barlang (Bánhidian big cave), Eperjes-barlang, Szemi-luki, Szemi-lyuka, Szelimluk barlang, Bánhidai-zsomboly, Szent Vit-barlang) is located in northwestern Hungary at the western margin of the Gerecse Mountains, 289 m (948 ft) above the Által-ér Valley near Tatabánya city. The cave interior is 45 m (148 ft) long and 14 m (46 ft) high. The site has been regularly frequented and used as a shelter by local villagers over the centuries, is easily accessible and its huge rectangular entrance features a memorial of the Turul.

The cave was recognized as an archaeological site only relatively late. In 1932 Hubert Kessler, the first promoter of speleological research, began excavations. The results of Kessler work encouraged István Gaál to start regular excavations. In 1934 the Natural History Research Council supplied - although insufficient - the financial means for further work. Remains of hearths, stoves, carvings, animal bones and human remains, some of which date to the era of Turkish invasions in early modernity were excavated.

The sediments are more than 12 m (39 ft) deep and rich in archaeological finds, that were extracted from the bedrock in a few months in most of the cave. More recent research results confirm the notion that human occupation in Szelim dates back as far as 200,000 years BP. Mousterian artefacts and stone tools discovered in the layer that dates back to the Upper Paleolithic.