Cave of Aroeira
| Cave of Aroeira | |
|---|---|
| Gruta da Aroeira | |
| Location | Almonda, Zibreira, Torres Novas, Santarém, Portugal |
| Coordinates | 39°30′21″N 8°36′57″W / 39.5057°N 8.6157°W |
| Discovery | 2017 |
| Geology | Karst |
| Entrances | 1 |
| Cave survey | 2017 |
The Cave of Aroeira (European Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐɾuˈɐjɾɐ]) is an archaeological and paleoanthropological site in the Portuguese Estremadura Limestone Massif. The cave is located in the village of Almonda, in the civil parish of Zibreira, in the municipality of Torres Novas in the district of Santarém. The cave contained stones from the Paleolithic Acheulean culture, and the skull of Homo heidelbergensis, circa 400,000 years old. The discovery of Aroeira 3 was announced in spring 2017 - the earliest human trace in Portugal.