Drachenhöhle

Cave entrance

Drachenhöhle Mixnitz (Dragon's Cave) is a cave near Mixnitz, Styria, Austria, south-east of Bruck an der Mur at an elevation of 950 m. Cave bear bones that were found during the Middle Ages were first thought to be the bones of dragons. Because of a shortage of fertilizers during World War I sediments were dug in the cave and 2.500 tons of phosphoric acid mined.[1] While the soldiers were digging, they discovered a tremendous amount of cave bear bones, remains of open hearths and Palaeolithic stone tools.[1] Dated to between 65,000 and 31,000 B.C., these are some of the oldest human traces in Austria.[1]

Today the bones of more than 30.000 cave bears have been excavated.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Drachenhöhle". Aeiou Encyclopedia (in German).

Coordinates: 47°19′34″N 15°22′44″E / 47.326°N 15.379°E / 47.326; 15.379

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