Kozarnika Cave - Belogradchik

Kozarnika Cave is situated in a karst-area, 6 km away from the town of Belogradchik and Belogradchik rocks, in railway Oreshets direction. Its entrance is opened to the south and is located 85 meters above the valley. The cave is 210 meters long; it has been well explored during the last years. Revealed are 21 geological layers. Most important are the lowest layers which date 1.4 million years ago. There was discovered a tooth of representative of the Homo genus (most probably Homo erectus) which means that this is the oldest information for presence of people in Europe. Discovered were also bones dated 1.2 – 1.4 million years ago on which have been caused series of cuts.  According to the archeologists who made the excavations, they have been caused on purpose and are not an accidental result from processing of the animal’s meat which means that representation of symbols appeared for a first time in Belogradchik area.