112 Cueva Covarona
Llueva VN56459722 Alt. 265m Length 337m

Updated 9th January 2000; 3rd February 2001

A remnant of large, fossil passage perched high above Llueva valley. A thirty metre wide entrance - similar to Cueva de Cobrantes (110) - slopes down to a large boulder and calcite floored passage with some fine formations. A junction is met after 180m. To the left the passage ascends over boulders to a chamber, while to the right greasy calcite descends to an old lake bed with false floor remains. The passage soon closes down in small phreatic tubes.

A small chamber on the left of the main passage contains several groups of schematic-abstract paintings, found by C.A.E.A.P., who also located Iron Age pottery and an iron arrowhead. The black marks are described and discussed in El Arte Esquemático-Abstracto de Matienzo y sus alrededores (Smith Peter, 1998b) and Muñoz Emilio et al, 1995. The apparently life-size engraving of a horse, discovered in December 1988 in the roof midway along the passage, is rather harder to date.

Morlote Jose M et al, 1995 describes Covarona as one of the Iron Age sepulchral caves in the area.

References: anon., 1980a (logbook); Corrin J et al, 1981b (survey); Corrin J, 1980; Corrin J S and Smith P, 1981; material in file; Munoz Fernandez E et al, 1987; anon., 1994a (Easter logbook); Morlote Jose M et al, 1995; Muñoz Emilio et al, 1995; Smith Peter, 1998b (survey); Smith Peter, 1998a (photo)
Entrance picture : yes
Underground picture(s): entrance    markings 1  2  black marks 1  2  formations 1  2  3  4  5  6   Pottery 1   2   3
Detailed Survey :
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file :