Aumidiella Caves

The Aumediella Caves or Benifallet Caves are a group of six hydraulically connected cavities, each with its own name: Cova Meravelles, Avenc del Sifó, Cova Marigot, Cova del Dos, Cova Xafarroques, and Avenc del Cataclisme.

s are a group of six hydraulically connected cavities, each with its own name: Cova Meravelles, Avenc del Sifó, Cova Marigot, Cova del Dos, Cova Xafarroques, and Avenc del Cataclisme.

Three of the six cavities have documented prehistoric occupations with archaeological remains dating from around 2800-1500 BC: Late Neolithic (Cova Castellà), Chalcolithic (Cova del Dos), and Early-Middle Bronze Age (Cova Castellà, Cova del Dos, and Cova Xafarroques).

In 1968, the GIE of the Centre Excursionista de Gràcia discovered Cova Meravelles, Avenc del Sifó, the small Cova de l'Aumediella, and Avenc del Cataclisme. Cova de l'Aumediella was registered as Cova del Dos, and Cova Xafarroques kept its name. The small Cova de l'Aumediella was renamed Cova Marigot.

The first two are of speleological and geological interest, while the others have provided archaeological findings since the early 20th century.

Initially, only Cova de l'Aumediella and Cova Xafarroques were known. The first excavations in the 1910s, led by J. Colominas, confirmed the archaeological interest of Cova de l'Aumediella, discovering handmade, decorated, and polished ceramics, as well as cardial printed pottery. In 1928, A. del Castillo documented the discovery of a Bell Beaker vessel.

The archaeological finds by the GIE at Cova Marigot and Cova Xafarroques include a large Neolithic jar discovered in 1996. The ceramics and other materials collected date from the Bronze Age and Iron Age I.

The archaeological evidence indicates a chronology from the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age.

Since 2021, the Benifallet Caves have been declared a Local Cultural Asset of Interest by the Baix Ebre County Council.