Gibraltar Hosts 30th Calpe Conference
The Government has welcomed international delegates to the 30th Calpe Conference, marking 100 years since the discovery of the Gibraltar 2 Neanderthal skull and 10 years since the Gorham’s Cave Complex became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The conference runs from 2nd September, with free entry for Gibraltar residents by registration.
A statement from the Government follows below:
The Government of Gibraltar today announced the opening of the thirtieth edition of the Calpe Conference, one of the most established events in the global calendar of historical, archaeological, palaeoanthropological and ecological research. This year’s conference, entitled “Neanderthal – the Conference”, holds particular significance as it commemorates the centenary of the discovery of the Gibraltar 2 Neanderthal skull.
The landmark find, excavated by pioneering archaeologist Dorothy Garrod at the Devil’s Tower Rock Shelter in 1926, remains central to international understanding of Neanderthal life and identity. The skull belonged to a four-year-old Neanderthal child, affectionately known as Flint, whose story continues to shape scientific perspectives on humanity’s deep past. The conference will open on Wednesday, with the launch of Dr Alex Menez’s new book Dorothy Garrod and The Devil’s Tower Skull, which details the story of the discovery. The launch, by Minister for Heritage Prof John Cortes, will be on Tuesday, 1 September 2026 at 6.30 ˢᵗ pm at the Gibraltar National Museum, providing a fitting prelude to the conference.
This year also marks another milestone: the tenth anniversary of the inscription of the Gorham’s Cave Complex onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. The 2016 inscription affirmed what many researchers had long recognised: that Gibraltar’s archaeological and palaeontological record is not only scientifically exceptional but globally significant. A decade on, this recognition continues to inspire new research, new partnerships and new approaches to understanding the deep human past.
The conference starts on Wednesday 2nd September, 2026, at 9 am with its official opening by Minister John Cortes. Delegates from around the world, representing 61 institutions from across 16 countries, will be gathering in Gibraltar to participate in this milestone event, reinforcing the Rock’s role as a leading meeting point for scholars working on Neanderthals and human evolution.
Entrance is by registration, and is free to local residents.
Further details and conference programme may be found at: https://www.gibmuseum.gi/news/calpe-2026
