Prehistoric Theopetra Cave in Trikala Prefecture is now open to the public as of Friday. Theopetra Cave is a famous archaeological site, and the first excavated cave in Thessaly, with excavations starting in 1987 and continuing to the present.
Its deposits begin in the Middle Paleolithic period and continue without gaps until the end of the Neolithic period (3000 BC). Its uniqueness is that it contains within a single site, the records of two greatly significant cultural transitions: The replacement of Neanderthals by modern humans and the later transition from hunter-gathering to farming after the end of the last Ice Age.
The cave is situated just three kilometers from Meteora and consists of an immense 500 square meter rectangular chamber at the foot of a limestone hill. It rises to the northeast above the village of Theopetra with a very big entrance that is 17 meters wide by 3 metres high. It lies at the foot of the Chasia mountain range, which forms the natural boundary between Thessaly and Epirus prefectures. The Lithaios River which is a tributary of the Pineios River, flows in front of the cave.
The prefecture of Trikala and the municipality of Vassiliki, where Theopetra belongs has already scheduled a concert to celebrate the official opening of the cave to visitors.
Archaelogist Nina Kiparissi-Apostolika called on all visitors to love and take good care of this unique cave.
Author: Afroditi Lakkiotis | Source: Greek Reporter [October 25, 2010]