Treasure Cave, Spain
| Treasure Cave | |
|---|---|
| Cueva del Tesoro | |
 The chamber of the lakes | |
| Location | Spain |
| Geology | Limestone |
| Entrances | 1 |
The Treasure Cave (in Spanish: Cueva del Tesoro), sometimes called Cueva del Higuerón,[1][2] is one of only three submarine caves known in the world, and the only one in Europe.[3] It is located in the municipality of Rincón de la Victoria, near the city of Málaga.[4] The cave is carved into a limestone promontory, forming a cliff on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Its name comes from a legend about a treasure of the Almoravid dynasty, found, it is said, inside the cave.[1]
Human footprints from 40,000 years ago have been found at the site.[5]
It was declared a Cultural Heritage Site (Bien de Interés Cultural, BIC) in 1985.[6]
History
[edit]The legend of the five king's treasure refers to a tale of the riches collected by five kings of the Almoravid dynasty, whose emperor Tesufin ibn Ali decided would be hidden in this cave. With the help of a trust-worthy man and slaves (who were executed after the task was done),[3] he allegedly concealed the valuables within the chambers and covered the entrance,[1] so that it could never be found.
Roman general Marcus Crassus is said to have hidden in this cave for 8 months, having a chamber named after him.[7][8]
Professor Laza Palacio, who became the owner of the cave in the 20th century,[3] found a ceramic lamp during his excavations, in which 6 Almoravid gold coins from the time of Ali ibn Yusuf had been inserted.[1][9]
In the 19th century, Antonio de la Nari, a native of Switzerland, spent almost 30 years searching for the legendary treasure of the five kings, opening galleries and passages with dynamite. He died in 1847 as a result of one of his explosions.[1][10]
Chambers
[edit]
The cave is composed of a series of chambers, including:[11]
- Virgin's Chamber
- Cave Paintings Area
- Labyrinthine Galleries
- Volcano Chamber
- Lake Chamber
- Marcus Crassus' Chamber
- Noctiluca Chamber
Archeological remains
[edit]
Exploration of the cave has revealed a series of archeological finds, including rock art such engravings and hand impressions from the Paleolithic.[5][11]
In April of 2025, archeologist Pedro Cantalejo and his research team announced the discovery of 40,000 year-old human footprints in nine different places in caves around the area, making them the oldest to have been found and dated in the Mediterranean area so far.[5][12]
Human and animal remains have also been found in the cave, as well as ceramic remains from the Neolithic period that can be found in Madrid's National Archaeological Museum.[13]
Film Shoots
[edit]The Treasure Cave has been the setting for several film shoots, including music videos and short films. Some include:
- 2015: Los Chimplonitos, short film directed by Alberto Pons.[14]
- 2019: Music video of the song "Cinco Reyes" by the band Def Con Dos, directed by Alberto Pons, as well as a short film by the same name and director.[15]
- 2019: Recording of the album Ortigosa en Directo.[16]
- In 2019, some scenes for the series Warrior Nun were recorded in the cave. It premiered on Netflix in 2020.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "La historia de la Cueva del Tesoro, en Cuarto Milenio". Diario Sur. 2020-05-31. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
- ^ Mellado, Sergio (2011-08-18). "Misterios en la Cueva del Tesoro". El País. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
- ^ a b c Frías, José Manuel (2022-02-19). "La Cueva del Tesoro, aventura y misterio en Rincón de la Victoria". Diario de Córdoba.
- ^ "Cueva del Tesoro". Rincón de la Victoria Lleno de Vida. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
- ^ a b c Martín, Ignacio (2025-04-03). "Hallazgo histórico en la Cueva del Tesoro de Rincón: documentan huellas humanas de hace más de 40.000 años" [Historic discovery in Rincón's Treasure Cave: human footprints from over 40,000 years ago documented]. Málaga Hoy. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ "Cueva del Tesoro". Ayuntamiento Rincón de la Victoria. 2016-12-05. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ "Leyendas de tinta, Cueva del Tesoro". Canal de Málaga RTV. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
- ^ Espinal, Adriano (2022-04-14). "La Cueva del Tesoro: un refugiado romano, seis monedas almorávides y un suizo con dinamita" [The Treasure Cave: a Roman refugee, six Almoravid coins and a Swiss with dynamite]. Málaga Hoy. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ "Recorriendo los misterios de la Cueva del Tesoro". Andalucía. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
- ^ "Cueva del Tesoro". Diputación Provincial de Málaga. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
- ^ a b Duarte, Mari Carmen (12 March 2025). "La única cueva visitable de origen marino está en Andalucía y esconde un gran tesoro" [The only visitable cave of marine origin is in Andalusia and hides a great treasure]. National Geographic. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ "La Cueva del Tesoro alberga en Málaga las huellas humanas más antiguas del Mediterráneo" [The Treasure Cave houses the oldest human footprints in the Mediterranean in Malaga]. EFE. 2025-04-03. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ "Cueva" [Cave]. Rincón de la Victoria. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ Griñán, Francisco (2015-03-01). "'Los Goonies' ya tienen versión malagueña" ["The Goonies" now have a Malaga version]. Diario Sur. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ A. Gómez, Víctor (2019-02-18). ""Cinco Reyes': Def Con Dos, la Fergó y el fantástico" [Cinco Reyes': Def Con Dos, Fergó and the Fantastic]. La Opinión de Málaga. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ "Los hermanos Ortigosa presentan su nuevo trabajo discográfico grabado en la Cueva del Tesoro bajo el título 'En directo'" [Ortigosa brothers present their new album recorded in the Treasure Cave under the title ‘En directo’]. Diario Sur. 2019-06-19. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
- ^ A. Gómez, Víctor (2020-06-16). "'Warrior Nun' se estrenará el 2 de julio en Netflix" ["Warrior Nun" to be released July 2nd on Netflix]. La Opinión de Málaga. Retrieved 2025-04-25.