Jan 28 - Ice Age Europe Project And Extension Of Boundaries Of Proposed World Heritage Site
The Gibraltar Museum is a founder partner of the Ice Age Europe Project, a venture that seeks to bring together the key sites across Europe that tell us the story of our past during the period popularly known as the Ice Age.
The aim of the project is to co-ordinate efforts and partnerships in the fields of research, education, conservation and tourism. Three new sites were accepted as members at a recent meeting in Bilbao, bringing the total number of sites represented to 18. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Gibraltar Museum. A wide range of areas of co-operation were discussed with the focus on seeking joint funding for collaborative projects. Funding has already been secured from the Government of North Rhine-Westphalia for a project that will have touch-screen stations in all the member sites, including the Gibraltar Museum. The aim is to connect virtually all the sites, making the network directly accessible to visitors to the museum who will be able to communicate in real time with visitors in other sites. It will also serve to generate interest across Europe and make the public aware of the key sites which they can visit across the continent. The Ice Age Europe Project has a website which describes its aims and work: http://www.ice-age-europe.eu/.
World Heritage Site
Meanwhile, the Government is pleased to announce its approval of the extension of the boundaries of the proposed Gorham’s Cave Complex World Heritage Site. The World Heritage Bid Steering Committee met in December and recommended the extension which would enhance the value of the proposed site. The extension now includes the east cliff directly above Gorham’s Cave up to the peak at O’Hara’s Battery, including the Mediterranean Steps, and the ridge northwards from there approximately to the position of Middle Gate. The cliffs down from the ridge and the great sand dune down to Sir Herbert Miles Road will also be part of the enlarged site and all falls within the boundaries of the recently created Gibraltar Nature Reserve. Together with the caves, the enlarged site will portray the unique remnants of the landscape of the Neanderthals, including raised beaches, caves, talus slopes and sand dunes. A spokesperson said that “There is nothing comparable anywhere else in the world.”
