Discover, Plan & Go!

Palaeontologists have found fossils of 54 vertebrate species and human remains thought to be 1.2 million years old in Cueva Victoria. Though the human remains recovered are few in number, they are some of the oldest in Western Europe and may provide information about when humans first migrated from Africa to Europe. A father and son team, Dr. Josep Gibert Clols and Dr. Luis Gibert Beotas are studying the origin of the cave and the age of the fossils, as well as the geologic history of the cave. The Giberts are also exploring a Paleolithic site outside the cave in which different types of stone tools have been found, as well as a variety of bones.

Working in this large cave with six large rooms and more than two kilometers of galleries, you will be trained to excavate the sediment disturbed by mining, remove fossils and artifacts, and map the remains. You'll also clean, number, and catalogue the finds, and you'll sieve sediments for microfossils. Volunteers will focus on searching for fossils in the main room, the Sala Union, which is connected to the outside and filled with natural light from various holes, and also spend some time excavating using more traditional methods in the outdoor site. Typical work hours are in the morning and early evening, with the hottest hours of midday reserved for refreshing swims, lunch, and siestas. The team usually visits the beach for an hour before a late dinner, as the site is about three kilometers from the sea.

You will stay in a large house, with gardens and a pool. Volunteers will share spacious rooms, with two or three people per room, and share bathrooms with all the modern conveniences. Meals will be served in the main house, and evening lectures or work will be done in the garden. Staff will prepare all meals, which will include delightful and healthy Mediterranean salads, lamb, and paella.

As an Eons member, you'll get a free, 1 year membership to Earthwatch — a $35 value — when you sign up on any expedition. And members pay $100 less on their expedition contribution — so you save $135! Just put code EONS2007 in the comment field on the signup form, or, if you call, tell the Expedition Coordinator that you found us on Eons.

Earthwatch expedition-related costs may be tax-deductible in the US as volunteer expenses. Please check with your tax adviser.