Prince Albert II of Monaco in Indiana Jones mode on the prehistoric site of the Sierra d’Atapuerca
It was near Burgos, in the north of Spain, that the trace of Prince Albert II of Monaco was found. The Monegasque sovereign has not stopped traveling and visited the sites of prehistoric excavations in the Atapuerca mountain range on Tuesday 26 July. Prince Albert also admired the exceptional fossils exhibited in the museum of these sites.
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Prince Albert II realizes his wish to visit the prehistoric excavations of Atapuerca
In addition to sharing the name and passion for oceanography of his grandfather Albert 1st, Prince Albert II has the same interest in archaeology. Albert I had been one of the first patrons to finance research on cave paintings in Cantabria. He visited them in 1904 and Prince Albert II also visited them in 2010.
In 2022, Prince Albert II realizes another wish, that of visiting Burgos and the prehistoric site of the Sierra de Atapuerca. Difficult to track the Monegasque sovereign, he who a few hours earlier were in Oregon, and a few days before still in the Vatican with his wife. During this visit to Atapuerca this Tuesday, July 26, Prince Albert was accompanied by the Monegasque ambassador to Spain, Catherine Fautrier-Rousseau. Albert II appeared in an explorer’s outfit and he wore a construction helmet on the sites where excavations are carried out.
As pointed out Hi, the visit of Prince Albert coincides with one of the most remarkable discoveries of Atapuerca. A bone from the jaw of what could be the first European hominid aged around one million four hundred thousand years was found during excavations this summer. Prince Albert began his visit at the site of El Portalón de Cueva Mayor, then he went to the site of Sima del Elefante and that of Cueva Fantasma, before joining the Museum of Human Evolution (MEH) and the National Center for Research on Human Evolution (CENIEH).
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Prince Albert II visits the incredible prehistoric museum of Burgos
The prince began his visit in the site’s museum, in the first room dedicated to the species gay ancestor. The skeleton of this man was reconstructed using bones that are almost a million years old and which were found at the site of Gran Dolina in Atapuerca. The museum explains that Prince Albert then visited the space where Skull No. 5 and the Elvis Pelvis are on display. These two fossil stars interested the prince. Albert also stopped in front of the Excalibur handaxe. This biface is one of his objects carved in stone which has not yet revealed all of its mysteries. Finally, the visit ended with a visit to the temporary exhibition which traces the evolution of the human posture.
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“During his departure, Prince Albert II of Monaco underlined the majesty of the building which houses the Museum, the work of the architect Juan Navarro Baldeweg, and its privileged position as a belvedere over the historic part of the city of Burgos and its cathedral”emphasizes the museum, proud of this visit, especially since the prince had a real desire to finally be able to make this visit. “For years, the Monegasque sovereign had a particular interest in making a scientific and cultural visit to the sites of Atapuerca, the Museum of Human Evolution and the National Center for Research on Human Evolution (Cenieh)”.
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The Sierra de Atapuerca has been excavated for more than forty years, with great discoveries, and includes new species of hominids. For its part, the Museum of Human Evolution is one of the few museums in the world in this field and presents an exceptional collection of original fossils in its permanent exhibition.
The relationship of the Principality of Monaco with Atapuerca is linked to Henry de Lumley, current president of the Institute of Human Paleontology in Paris, an institute dependent on the Principality. Lumley was the promoter of many prehistoric museums in Europe and maintains close relations with the Principality and with Atapuerca. The Prince Albert II Foundation has been present in Spain since 2016.