Cova de la Piràmide

Small interstitial cave at Fondal de Valldellós, in Mediona, in a chaos of limestone blocks with archaeological interest.

Mediona • Alt Penedès 10m 6m

EspeleoWorld

Cova de la Piràmide

Small interstitial cave at Fondal de Valldellós, in Mediona, in a chaos of limestone blocks with archaeological interest.

Mediona · Alt Penedès

Length: 10 m · Depth: 6 m

Updated record

https://espeleoworld.com/en/c/cova-de-la-piramide

Information can change. Always verify coordinates, access, weather, and cave conditions before setting out.

Topographic map of the main entrance — Main entrance · ICGC topographic map

Small interstitial cave at Fondal de Valldellós, in Mediona, in a chaos of limestone blocks with archaeological interest.

Characteristics

Type: Cave
Municipality: Mediona
Region: Alt Penedès
Unit: Alt Penedès, l'
Length: 10 meters
Depth: 6 meters
Major Unit: Serralada Prelitoral
Lithology: Limestone
Updated on EspeleoÍndex: December 4, 2020

Location

The Fondal de Valldellós is located in Mediona. It is formed by the detachment of a limestone cliff that has created an exceptional chaos of blocks, among which a multitude of small concavities have formed, of little speleological value but of archaeological interest.

The whole site is dominated by two singular elements: the needle of Valldellós, a monolith that presides over the hollow, and the pass of the thieves or of the fox, which, forming a concealed channel, allows the cliff to be easily overcome.

Characterized archaeologically as a hermitic-cultural nucleus in a cave, it is a spot resulting from the decomposition and retreat of the cliff, where a collapse of blocks creates a small labyrinth of passages and dens.

The Cova de la Piràmide, also cited as Cave “A”, is located to the NW of the Needle of Valldellós and at a short distance from the caves of la Rasa, Barramon and de la Boira.

Entrances

Always verify coordinates and access conditions before setting out.

Cova de la Piràmide
Elevation: 614 m
41.456146, 1.619014
UTM 31T (ETRS89) 384660 4590316
Open in map Open in Google Maps

Download all entrances as GPX

Topographic

Cova de la Piràmide - Topography, Mediona, Alt Penedès

View image

Click to enlarge

Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

Image 1 of 1

Photos

Cova de la Piràmide - Photo, Mediona, Alt Penedès

View image

Click to enlarge

Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

Image 1 of 2

Description

Morphology

Small cave of interstitial type. A gallery of triangular section, slightly descending, which after a few metres begins an ascent through a narrower and shorter conduit that leads to a small opening that comes out to the exterior. As is already the general pattern of the cavities in the area, the whole space is covered by large blocks.

Progression

Through a gallery of triangular section, slightly descending, which after a few metres begins an ascent through a narrower and shorter conduit that leads to a small opening that comes out to the exterior.

Other details

Although it does not seem that favourable conditions exist for permanent troglodytic habitation, the fact is that numerous pieces from prehistoric times (Neolithic and Bronze) and from the early Christian era have been collected, within the small “almost” caves that open beneath the blocks.

History

The hollow of Valldellós is already cited in 1928 in an itinerary of the Centre Excursionista Rafel de Casanova (at that time they called it Fondal de Clivelleres).

In 1956, Pere Giró mentions a donation of archaeological material made by Josep Lloret to the Museum of Vilafranca del Penedès.

But it is not until 1975 that, three members of the Agrupació Excursionista Talaia (Vilanova i la Geltrú) (J. Alegret, M. Pàmies and J. Virella), rediscover the site, and from 1978 until 1986 the area was the object of an important archaeological intervention by the Associació d'Estudis Científics i Culturals de Mediona.

User Comments (0)

No comments yet.

Be the first to share your experience!

Registered Explorations (0)

No explorations registered yet.

Bibliography

Coll, J.M.; Molina, J.A.; Roig, J. (1995).- “El fondal de Valldellós (Mediona, Alt Penedès): Un nucli eremític-cultual en cova del s. V”. Miscel·lània Penedesenca (20): 169-183. Institut d'Estudis Penedesencs.
Rafecas, Eduard (1995).- Mediona. Guia d'esports d'aventura. 76 pp. Ajuntament de Mediona.