Potok Cave

Potok Cave

Potočka zijalka
Entrance to Potok Cave
location in Slovenia
Location	above Solčava
Region	eastern Karawanks Slovenia
Coordinates	46°26′56″N 14°40′07″E / 46.44889°N 14.66861°E / 46.44889; 14.66861Coordinates: 46°26′56″N 14°40′07″E / 46.44889°N 14.66861°E / 46.44889; 14.66861
Type	limestone karst
Length	115 m (377 ft)
Width	40 m (130 ft)
History
Material	Triassic limestone
Periods	Upper Paleolithic
Associated with	Paleo-humans

Potok Cave (Slovene: Potočka zijalka or Potočka zijavka) is a [[cave] in northern Slovenia, declared a high-elevation archaeological and paleontological site, occupied approximately 35,000 yearsBP (before present) by anatomically modern humans of the Aurignacian culture during the Upper Paleolithic. The cave is named after the Potok Farm in Podolševa, and the Slovene term zijalka or zijavka refers to a flat-bottomed cave with a gaping mouth on a cliff face. Systematic excavations were carried out by the Slovenian archaeologist Srečko Brodar.

It is located in the eastern Karawanks in northern Slovenia, on the southern slope of Mount Olševa above Solčava, at an elevation of 1,675 m (5,495 ft) in the Triassic limestone. It is 115 m (377 ft) long and varies from 17 m (56 ft) wide at the mouth to 40 m (130 ft) wide in the interior. Its entry opens toward the south.

There are two explanations of its role. According to the original explanation, the cave was a hunting station. According to the newer one, it was a ritual place.

After amateur excavations by Josef Gross, a medical student from Austria, the area was bought by Museum Society of Celje on behalf of which the systematic excavations were carried out by archaeologist Srečko Brodar, starting in 1928 and continuing until 1935.

The finds from eight layers excavated from the cave included the bones of over 40 animal species, including the cave bears, wolves, alpine marmots, hares, red foxes, weasels, lynx, red deer, chamois, and in particular, teeth of a muskox, as well as 123 arrowheads, a controversial bone flute, and one of the world's oldest sewing needles.