Čertova pec | |
.jpg) Čertova pec cave interior | |
  Čertova pec location in Slovakia | |
| Alternative name | Devil's furnace |
|---|---|
| Location | nearRadošina,Považský Inovec mountains |
| Region | Nitra Region,Slovakia |
| Coordinates | 48°33′37″N17°54′55″E / 48.56028°N 17.91528°E /48.56028; 17.91528 |
| History | |
| Periods | Palaeolithic |
Čertova pec (English:Devil's furnace) is a smallkarst cave in thePovažský Inovec mountains ofSlovakia. It is located nearRadošina, in theNitra Region. As well as being a modern recreational site, the cave is known to have yielded material evidence of repeated human presence and habitation during theStone Age.
The cave with total length of 27 m (89 ft),[1] is a protected natural monument due to its paleontological significance.[1] The surrounding area of Certova pec is also a recreational site which includes a motel, a campsite, and a playground.[1] There are three hiking trails in the vicinity.[2]
The site has yielded relics of multiple habitation phases during thePalaeolithic period.[1] The earliest finds are attributed to theMousterian culture (associated primarily withNeanderthals).[3] In addition to this is anassemblage of objects tentatively associated with theSzeletian culture, a local designation that roughly corresponds with the contemporaryGravettian culture.[4] Aradiocarbon date of Szeletian cultural artifacts suggests prehistoric human presence in the cave at around 38,400 years ago.[4]
