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Vulture Nests in Spain Reveal a Centuries-Old Sandal and Other Stunning Cultural Artifacts
Researchers uncovered over 200 artifacts including a 750-year-old sandal in bearded vulture nests, showing these sites preserve centuries of human cultural history.
- On September 11, researchers in Spain reported over 200 artifacts, including a 750-year-old esparto sandal, recovered from bearded vulture nests in Andalusia, southern Spain.
- Researchers studied about a dozen nests, locating bearded vulture cliff caves using historical records and interviews with older residents of southern Spain.
- Sergio Couto and colleagues reported notable medieval and historic objects among 2,483 artifacts, including 25 esparto-fiber, 72 leather, 11 hair items, 129 textile fragments, and painted medieval leather.
- The study suggests nests can guide archaeology and conservation by helping locate artifacts and aiding bearded vulture reintroduction and conservation planning.
- Listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the bearded vulture has a bone-based diet up to 90% and has been locally absent in southern Spain for more than 70 years.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Numerous well-preserved remains and also human artifacts have been found in the nests of bearded vultures.
A 700-year-old sandal and other medieval artifacts have been found in a bearded vulture's nest in Spain - the discovery sheds new light on the relationship between this unique bird and human culture.
Imagine the scene: a group of researchers descending down the Andalusian cliffs, with a fast-paced heart and climbing equipment, not to rescue a dissipated hiker, but to dig a bearded vulture nest. And what did they find? Not only bones and animal remains, but a surprisingly well-preserved medieval sandal, woven with herbs and branches, which could delight any lover of antiques or sustainable fashion designer. And all this thanks to the strange …
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