Theopetra's Cave
The Theopetra, is found west of Highway Ioannina-Trikala perched on a rocky hill, the first series of the geological phenomenon Meteoritikon rock.
In the NE a rocky limestone volume in "Muti" is the Cave of Theopetra.
It lies about 4 km from Kalambaka and has an arched entrance, measuring 17 x 3 m approx.
The interior consists of a main hall 500 m some with small niches in the region. The formation of limestone rock Theopetra placed in the upper Cretaceous Period (137,000,000 to 65,000,000 years from now). The creation of the cave is thus later than the above age.
The cave was inhabited during the Middle Paleolithic Period (beginning about 130,000 years ago). This cave is the first excavated in Thessaly and the only so far in Greece with continuous anthropogenic layers ranging from the Middle Stone Age and up to the end of the Neolithic (3000 BC).
The importance of chronological continuity lies in the fact that for the first time in Greece we see the transition from Palaiolithiko the Neolithic lifestyle. Among other things, the cave Palaeolithic stone tools found - Mesolithic and Neolithic Age, Neolithic pottery finds, bone tools, shell jewelry, unique for the Greek gold jewelry of the Palaeolithic, the Mesolithic and Neolithic period, and the famous human footprints of Theopetra dating to 130,000 years ago and are now rare finding not only for Greece but also for Europe.
We also detected traces of fire in open hearths and unformatted close to them also found pieces of burnt clay from spreading wall or roof within which observed footprints reeds and wood. The reason I survived all this is to fire the hardened and are regarded as representatives of the architecture of the Neolithic era.
Both identified and bones in particular animals, such as cow, pig, sheep, deer, dog, etc. but just human. The presence of flint tools from the end of the Upper Paleolithic era as the original stones, which are processed to manufacture tools and shows the existence of the laboratory building these tools. The analysis of the affected fruit were shown to originate from wheat, rye, barley, oats, etc. but also pear, grapevine, apple and various wild grasses to which supplement or food or used for other purposes.
Quite interesting are the small stylized masses uncooked clay identified as the first efforts of the man who lived in the cave in the Middle Paleolithic era to format the clay. Analyses and specialized research tools led to the conclusion that a creature of the last Neanderthals that people communicate and the type of Homo Sapiens, which covers the next two periods of occupation of the cave of Theopetra.
The excavation started in 1987 by archaeologist Catherine Kyparissis-Dispatch and continued until 2005 when he began the works for the restoration and enhancement of the cave with the establishment of a corridor which serves visitors and People with Disabilities. Currently projects have been completed and the cave is open to visitors.