The Isturitz and Oxocelhaya caves (French: Grottes d'Isturitz et d'Oxocelhaya) are an important Paleolithic site. A Neanderthal mandible was found there, along with later finds from modern humans associated with the Aurignacian, Solutrean, and Magdalenian periods. The caves also contain cave paintings and bone flutes. The caves are located in the Gaztelu hill in the Arberoue Valley, in the foothills of the Pyrenees. They are in Lower Navarre, a traditional region of the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques in southwestern France, which is part of the French Basque Country.

The French government has classified the site as a Monument historique since 1953. People, including Neanderthals and early humans, lived in the caves from about 80,000 to 10,000 years ago. The caves might have been used for burials even after that, until the time of the Romans. The site is studied in the context of Franco-Cantabrian prehistory. It is one of the easternmost decorated caves found along the Pyrenees and Cantabrian Mountains.

Topography

The caves are located in the communes of Isturits and Saint-Martin-d'Arberoue, near Hasparren. They are part of a group of three caves carved by the Arbéroue stream into the limestone Gaztelu hill one after another. The stream flows into the Lihoury, which is a tributary of the Bidouze river. The Gaztelu hill has the Rocafort castle on top.

Isturitz cave

The Isturitz cave has two sections: the Hall of Saint-Martin, also called the South Hall, and the Main Hall, also known as the Hall of Isturitz or North Hall. During the Mesolithic period, the entrance facing the town of Saint-Martin-d'Arberoue was estimated to be between 15 and 20 meters wide and about 10 meters high, making it visible from a distance.

Human remains

The most common human remains found at Isturitz are skull bones. These bones were cut and shaped to make drinking cups, called "coupelles," from the Magdalenian period, which was about 15,000 to 12,000 years ago.