Culture

Buxu Cave

Nestled among meadows and wooded areas near Cardés there is a cultural treasure that will take you back thousands of years into the past—the cave called Cueva del Buxu. This natural cavern was once home to prehistoric people, and has bequeathed us a splendid collection of cave art and other remains from the Palaeolithic era.

There are various theories about how the cave got its name. One idea suggests that it originates from the Asturian term bruxu, which means sorcerer. Other hypotheses lean towards the Latin word buxus, the name of the wild boxwood plant that might have concealed the cave entrance in the limestone cliffs.

This mysterious cave was discovered in 1916 by Cesareo Cardín, an envoy of the Count of la Vega del Sella. When he heard about the wonders housed within the cave, the count, along with Hugo Obermaier, revealed the cave to the world with one of the earliest monographs on Asturian cave art.

Subsequent scientific studies showed that different parts of the cave were inhabited in different periods. This can be explained by the fact that it is a labyrinth, as it was formed naturally by water erosion from the Entrepeñas stream, which eventually carved out a siphon and opened up various galleries.

Important remains were discovered, primarily of the Solutrean culture, dating back 20,000-18,000 years. Among the notable finds was a carved bear's tusk that was shaped to look like a bird. However, the most astonishing feature in the Buxu cave is its cave paintings.

At the end of the cave's 100-metre depth, magnificent Palaeolithic artwork depicting the fauna of Cangas de Onís can be seen. The cave paintings show several examples of horses, goats, bison, deer painted in charcoal, and roe deer. There are also other zoomorphic and geometric engravings. These paintings are from the Solutrean and early Magdalenian periods. This fascinating cave is open to the public, and we recommend that you enquire about visiting days if you want to see it.