Subterranean Laboratory

In Nerja Cave and its surroundings, top-level research has been conducted since 1959, constantly measuring environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and the concentration of certain gases for its conservation.

Main research projects carried out in Nerja Cave

In Nerja Cave, top-level research is conducted with the aim of understanding the cave as an essential basis for its conservation. The first scientific studies date back to the year of its discovery, 1959, and in this regard, we like to refer to Nerja Cave as a fortunate site.

The cave has also been a pioneer in monitoring environmental parameters, with the first records dating back to 1986. Currently, all the cave’s chambers are equipped with measurement devices that record the main underground environment parameters every hour: temperature, relative humidity, methane concentration, carbon dioxide, and radon in the air, atmospheric pressure, wind direction and speed, drip flow rate, and water temperature. A fully equipped weather station records the main climatic parameters outside the cave.

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Nombre	Fecha	Proyecto
Pellicer, M	1959	Excavación arqueológica en las salas de Vestíbulo, Belén, Cascada, Fantasmas y Cataclismo
Giménez, S.	1960-1962	Delegación de Excavaciones Arqueológicas de Málaga. Prospección arte parietal
Cobos, A.	1961	Estudio entomológico de la Cueva de Nerja
De la Quadra, A.M.	1962-1963	Excavación arqueológica de la Sala del Vestíbulo
Jordá, F.	1965	Excavación arqueológica de la Sala del Vestíbulo
Jordá, F. y Arribas, A.	1965-1968	Excavación arqueológica de las salas del Vestíbulo y de la Mina
Muñoz, M.	1971-1972	Excavación arqueológica de la Sala de la Mina
G. Esp. Malagueño.	1977	Plan de conservación de la cavidad y climatología
Pellicer, M.	1979	Excavación arqueológica de las salas de la Mina y de la Torca
Dams, L.	1979-1982	Prospección arte parietal

Showing 1 to 10 of 113 entries

Other Research Projects in which the IICN participates

First Art Project: Determination of chronology and characterization of pigments in the early stages of Paleolithic Cave Art – Andalusia Sector. Funding entity: European Union. Participating entities: Institute of Research Nerja Cave, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (Portugal), Ardales Cave Project, University of Cadiz, Department of Environmental and Preventive Sciences; University of Ferrara, Nanjing Normal University, Western California University, Government of Extremadura; CGEO, University of Extremadura, and National Geographic Society. Principal Investigator: Hipólito Collado Giráldez.

Cueva de la Victoria (Rincón de la Victoria, Málaga): Earth movement control, cleaning of archaeological areas in access shafts, conservation status of Cave Art, and emergency lighting changes. Funding entity: City Council of Rincón de la Victoria. Participating entities: University of Cadiz, Institute of Research Nerja Cave, ArdalesTour heritage and tourism. Principal Investigator: Pedro Cantalejo.

Past, Present, and Future Environmental Changes in the Southern Iberian Peninsula through the Study of Abrupt Climate Variations since the Last Glaciation (PaleoS-Iberia). Subproject: Understanding past, present, and future environmental scenarios in the southern Iberian Peninsula through the study of past rapid climate changes in cave records since the Last Glaciation (PaleoCaveS). Funding entity: Ministry of Science and Innovation. Participating entities: Universities of Granada, Bergen (Germany), and Helsinki (Finland), Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences – State Agency for Higher Council of Scientific Research (CSIC), IGME-CSIC, IICN. Principal Investigators: Concepción Jiménez de Cisneros and Francisco José Jiménez Espejo (IACT-CSIC).

Conservation of natural spaces in the underground environment. Nerja Cave and La Gruta de las Maravillas geological and culturally significant heritages. Funding entity: Ministry of Science and Innovation. Participating entities: Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences – State Agency for Higher Council of Scientific Research (CSIC), Nerja Cave Foundation, Universities of Granada and Lancaster (United Kingdom), and IGME-CSIC. Principal Investigators: Concepción Jiménez de Cisneros and Francisco José Jiménez Espejo (IACT-CSIC).