Abric Romaní rock shelter near Barcelona becomes a key Neanderthal excavation site

The Abric Romaní is a rock shelter in Capellades, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia. It was first identified as an archaeological site in 1909, when its prehistoric importance began to be recognised by local researchers.

Systematic excavations began much later, in 1983, and have continued almost every year since. The work revealed a deep sequence of occupation levels left by Neanderthals, who used the shelter repeatedly over tens of thousands of years. The layers are sealed by travertine, a mineral deposit formed by flowing water, which helped preserve fragile traces such as hearths, animal bones, stone tools and even imprints of wood.

The site matters because it lets archaeologists study how Neanderthals organised their living space, including where they lit fires, worked and processed food. That long record of hearths and activity areas is the basis for later research into how these groups divided their daily activities within the shelter.