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Journalism of Courage
Seven centuries ago in southern Spain, a simple sandal woven from grasses and twigs was lost or dropped. Normally, such a shoe would decay quickly, but a bearded vulture swooped down, picked it up, and carried it into its cliffside cave. This began a remarkable natural time capsule.
Bearded vultures build huge nests deep inside mountain caves. They add fresh branches, wool, bones, and other materials year after year, creating layered archives that preserve ancient history. Between 2008 and 2014, scientists rappelled down cliffs to carefully dig into 12 of these nests in southern Spain, where the species vanished about 70-130 years ago.
The researchers found over 200 human-made artifacts alongside thousands of animal bones in the nests. Among the most striking finds was the nearly perfectly preserved woven sandal, carbon dated to about 650-750 years ago. They also uncovered painted sheepskin leather, pieces of basketry, grass-woven tools, and even a medieval crossbow bolt.
Bearded vultures are unique among birds of prey because they specialize in eating bones, cracking them open to access marrow. Their nests, located in dry, sheltered caves, create perfect conditions for preserving both natural remains and human objects they drag in from nearby areas.
The study shows that these nests act like natural museums, offering unparalleled insights into past ecosystems, bird diets, and human activity over centuries. The layered materials in the nests tell scientists when the birds used certain caves, their food sources, and even when they might have been exposed to environmental stresses like pesticides.
Though the vultures have disappeared from much of southern Spain, their abandoned nests remain. Studying these nests might inform conservation efforts and deepen understanding of these birds’ ecological roles over thousands of years. Beyond bones, bearded vultures have unwittingly preserved fascinating glimpses of medieval human life high on those cliffs.
These finds highlight how interconnected humans and wildlife have been for centuries and show the power of nature’s own archives to fill gaps in our historical knowledge. Scientists continue to explore these mountain time capsules, expecting even more surprises hidden within layers of nests.
This research was published recently in the journal Ecology and represents a blend of archaeology and ecology uncovering a rich story of life, death, and survival through centuries in the mountains of Spain.
