{"id":1292,"date":"2024-07-30T16:03:35","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T14:03:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wordpress\/?page_id=1292"},"modified":"2026-08-19T12:26:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T10:26:17","slug":"ursus-spelaeus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/ursus-spelaeus\/","title":{"rendered":"Liguria"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"1292\" class=\"elementor elementor-1292\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a07ff70 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a07ff70\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ac5cb62 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"ac5cb62\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ec9fe1b elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ec9fe1b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"149\" src=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685-300x149.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-image-3590\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685-300x149.png 300w, https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685-200x99.png 200w, https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685.png 521w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bd0a7a1 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bd0a7a1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInDown&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ursus spelaeus<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a24f2d elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7a24f2d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Complete bear skeleton <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9c59571 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9c59571\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-2.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTI5NSwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL2Zvc3NpbGlyZWdpb25hbGkuaXRcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMjRcLzA3XC9Ub2lyYW5vLUdyb3R0ZS1NdXNlby1QYWxlb250b2xvZ2ljby1PcnNvLXNlbnphLXZldHJvLTIuanBnIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"638\" src=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1295\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a471a16 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a471a16\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3033ffd elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"3033ffd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fdaf964 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"fdaf964\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e0160a9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e0160a9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Description<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a46a618 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a46a618\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The fossil collection, consisting of remains from various individuals discovered in caves in western Liguria, provides<strong> near complete<\/strong> evidence for the reconstruction of <em>Ursus spelaeus<\/em>, the cave bear, a species that was widespread throughout Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene.<\/p><p>The remains of this extinct bear are found with relative ease in the caves of western Liguria, from<br \/>the Savona area to the Imperia area. However, it is in the <strong>Toirano Caves<\/strong> that the highest concentration of remains is found, with truly spectacular accumulations. In particular, at the site known by the evocative name of \"<strong>Bear Cemetery<\/strong>\", two layers of accumulations have been identified. The first layer contains remains belonging to at least 139 individuals, including 57 cubs, 63 juveniles, and 19 adults, dating to a time span between <strong>50.000 <\/strong>and <strong>24.000 years ago. <\/strong>The second layer, however, has not yet been systematically investigated.<\/p><p>Analysis of the artefacts found in the so-called <strong>Sala dei Misteri (Hall of Mysteries)<\/strong>, a section of the caves located further upstream, has revealed that the high concentration of bears is the result of a prolonged accumulation over time caused by physical phenomena. The remains, in fact, appear to have accumulated in this area after being transported from an external area directly connected to the underground environment.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d6f4cdf e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d6f4cdf\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b1bea1c elementor-widget elementor-widget-n-accordion\" data-id=\"b1bea1c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;default_state&quot;:&quot;expanded&quot;,&quot;max_items_expended&quot;:&quot;one&quot;,&quot;n_accordion_animation_duration&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;ms&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:400,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"nested-accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-n-accordion\" aria-label=\"Accordion. Open links with Enter or Space, close with Escape, and navigate with Arrow Keys\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-1860\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" open>\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-1860\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Classification and size comparison <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1860\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-def829f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"def829f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1860\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc29cef e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"bc29cef\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26539d0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"26539d0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Kingdom: Animalia<\/p><p>Phylum: Chordata<\/p><p>Class: Mammalia<\/p><p>Order: Carnivora<\/p><p>Family: Ursidae<\/p><p>Genus: <em>Ursus<\/em><\/p><p>Species: <b>\u2020<\/b><em>Ursus spelaeus <\/em>Rosenm<span class=\"BxUVEf ILfuVd\" lang=\"it\"><span class=\"hgKElc\">\u00fc<\/span><\/span>ller, 1794<em><br \/><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1860\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-400d5ca e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"400d5ca\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-deec24b elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"deec24b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"525\" src=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/orso.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2353\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31961c9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"31961c9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Modified from<strong data-start=\"817\" data-end=\"837\"> \u201cUrsus spelaeus\u201d<\/strong> evidence for the reconstruction of <em data-start=\"841\" data-end=\"863\">Hamelin de Guettelet<\/em>, <em data-start=\"868\" data-end=\"887\">Wikimedia Commons<\/em>, licenza <strong data-start=\"897\" data-end=\"913\">CC BY-SA 3.0 <\/strong>(<a class=\"decorated-link cursor-pointer\" href=\"\/en\/_wp_link_placeholder\/\" target=\"_new\" rel=\"noopener\" data-start=\"915\" data-end=\"962\" data-wplink-edit=\"true\">https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/<\/a>).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-1861\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"2\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-1861\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Geologic Time Scale <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1861\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0bfc6f4 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0bfc6f4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1861\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0fcdf31 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0fcdf31\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44894e6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"44894e6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li>ERA: Cenozoic<\/li><li>PERIOD: Quaternary<\/li><li>EPOCH: Pleistocene<\/li><li>ET\u00c0: Pleistocene Superiore (0.13-0.012 Ma)<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1861\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-64c433b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"64c433b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6fdc337 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"6fdc337\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1aefe0b elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"1aefe0b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/scala-dei-tempi-geologici\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Explore the complete Geologic Time Scale<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1861\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c03ca00 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c03ca00\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-09f3146 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"09f3146\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/ursus.png\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MjU5NSwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL2Zvc3NpbGlyZWdpb25hbGkuaXRcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMjRcLzEwXC91cnN1cy5wbmcifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"336\" src=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/ursus.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2595\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-1862\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"3\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-1862\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Site of discovery <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1862\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-290b234 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"290b234\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1862\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9c66653 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"9c66653\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-38b03d7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"38b03d7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"> Various \ncaves near Toirano (SV)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1862\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-590ebae e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"590ebae\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5acd21c elementor-widget elementor-widget-google_maps\" data-id=\"5acd21c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"google_maps.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-custom-embed\">\n\t\t\t<iframe loading=\"lazy\"\n\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps?q=Toirano%20%28SV%29.&#038;t=m&#038;z=10&#038;output=embed&#038;iwloc=near\"\n\t\t\t\t\ttitle=\"Toirano (SV).\"\n\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Toirano (SV).\"\n\t\t\t><\/iframe>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-1863\" class=\"e-n-accordion-item\" >\n\t\t\t\t<summary class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title\" data-accordion-index=\"4\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-1863\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-header'><div class=\"e-n-accordion-item-title-text\"> Display location <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='e-n-accordion-item-title-icon'>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-opened' ><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-minus\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class='e-closed'><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1863\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f0381d3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f0381d3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1863\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-30a30ab e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"30a30ab\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2017e6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-google_maps\" data-id=\"f2017e6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"google_maps.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-custom-embed\">\n\t\t\t<iframe loading=\"lazy\"\n\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps?q=%20Grotte%20di%20Toirano%20%28SV%29.&#038;t=m&#038;z=10&#038;output=embed&#038;iwloc=near\"\n\t\t\t\t\ttitle=\" Grotte di Toirano (SV).\"\n\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\" Grotte di Toirano (SV).\"\n\t\t\t><\/iframe>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1863\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b83cc7b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b83cc7b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1863\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e5ecea3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e5ecea3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e3535d4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e3535d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"> Toirano Caves (SV)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"e-n-accordion-item-1863\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-12724f3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"12724f3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0229ded elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0229ded\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Catalogue number: <br \/>CdO1096<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3b4de06 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"3b4de06\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"http:\/\/www.toiranogrotte.it\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Visit the Caves' website<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1672015 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"1672015\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a127b8b elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"a127b8b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a5f3ca5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a5f3ca5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Gallery<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dac3906 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"dac3906\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90e168e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"90e168e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0c4d880 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0c4d880\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b6787ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b6787ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-1-scaled.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6NTA5NSwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL2Zvc3NpbGlyZWdpb25hbGkuaXRcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMjVcLzEyXC9Ub2lyYW5vLUdyb3R0ZS1NdXNlby1QYWxlb250b2xvZ2ljby1PcnNvLXNlbnphLXZldHJvLTEtc2NhbGVkLmpwZyJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1155\" src=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-1-768x1155.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-5095\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-1-768x1155.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-1-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-1-681x1024.jpg 681w, https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-1-1021x1536.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-1-1362x2048.jpg 1362w, https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-1-200x301.jpg 200w, https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-1-1140x1715.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Toirano-Grotte-Museo-Paleontologico-Orso-senza-vetro-1-scaled.jpg 1702w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4213237 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4213237\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4117e96 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4117e96\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A three-quarter view of the <em>Ursus spelaeus<\/em> on display at the Toirano Caves. Note the <strong>plantigrade<\/strong> posture, in which, as in primates, the entire palm of the hand and the sole of the foot rest on the ground during locomotion.<br \/>Courtesy of the Su gentile concessione del Ministero della Cultura, Soprintendenza Archeologia, <br \/>Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the provinces of Imperia and Savona.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f04e4af elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f04e4af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-645222f elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"645222f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aa9db35 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"aa9db35\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bibliography:<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0115f32 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0115f32\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ae43f97 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ae43f97\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li>Zunino, M., Starnini, E., Arobba, D., Avanzini, M., Citton, P., Firpo, M., &#8230; &amp; Rellini, I. (2022). New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bone deposit from B\u00e0sura cave (Toirano, NW Italy). <i>Journal of Quaternary Science<\/i>, <i>37<\/i>(6), 1133-1147.<\/li><li>Romano M., Citton P., Salvador I., Arobba D., Rellini I., Firpo M., Negrino F., Zunino M., Starnini E. &amp; Avanzini M. (2019). A multidisciplinary approach to a unique palaeolithic human ichnological record from Italy (B\u00e0sura Cave). eLife 2019, 8: e45204.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f190e85 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f190e85\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef77385 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ef77385\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Credits and acknowledgments<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-598e0b0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"598e0b0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3369b5d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3369b5d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Stefania Canavese of the Toirano Caves Service for sharing the multimedia material used on this page.<\/p><p>We would like to thank Dr. Stefano Costa and Dr. Marta Conventi of the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle arti e Paesaggio for the provinces of Savona and Imperia for granting permission to use this material.<span style=\"letter-spacing: 0px;\"><br data-start=\"742\" data-end=\"745\" \/>Reproduction, distribution, and any other use are prohibited without prior authorization from the aforementioned Superintendence.<\/span><\/p><p>We would also like to thank Professor Marta Zunino of the University of Genoa for her support and collaboration.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6401421 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6401421\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ursus spelaeus Scheletro completo di orso Descrizione Il reperto, costituito da resti appartenenti a vari individui rinvenuti in grotte del Ponente ligure, rappresenta una ricostruzione quasi completa di Ursus spelaeus, l&#8217;orso delle caverne, una specie diffusa in tutta Europa e Asia durante il Pleistocene. I resti di questo orso estinto si ritrovano con relativa facilit\u00e0 nelle grotte del Ponente ligure, dalSavonese all&#8217;Imperiese. Tuttavia, \u00e8 nelle Grotte di Toirano che si registra la pi\u00f9 alta concentrazione di reperti, con accumuli davvero spettacolari. In particolare, nel sito noto con il suggestivo nome di &#8220;Cimitero degli orsi&#8220;, sono stati individuati due livelli di accumulo. Dal primo provengono resti appartenenti ad almeno 139 individui, tra cui 57 cuccioli, 63 giovani e 19 adulti, datati a un intervallo temporale compreso tra i 50.000 e i 24.000 anni fa. Il secondo livello, invece, non \u00e8 stato ancora oggetto di indagine sistematica. L&#8217;analisi dei reperti rinvenuti nella cosiddetta Sala dei Misteri, un settore delle grotte situato pi\u00f9 a monte, ha permesso di accertare che l&#8217;alta concentrazione di orsi \u00e8 il risultato di un accumulo prolungato nel tempo ad opera di fenomeni fisici. I resti, infatti sembrano essersi accumulati in questa zone dopo essere stati trasportati da un&#8217;area esterna, collegata direttamente con l&#8217;ambiente sotterraneo. Classificazione e confronto dimensionale Regno: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Classe: Mammalia Ordine: Carnivora Famiglia: Ursidae Genere: Ursus Specie: \u2020Ursus spelaeus Rosenm\u00fcller, 1794 Modificata da \u201cUrsus spelaeus\u201d di Hamelin de Guettelet, Wikimedia Commons, licenza CC BY-SA 3.0 (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/). Scala del Tempo Geologico ERA: Cenozoico PERIODO: Quaternario EPOCA: Pleistocene ET\u00c0: Pleistocene Superiore (0.13-0.012 Ma) Esplora la Scala del Tempo Geologico completa Luogo di ritrovamento Diverse grotte presso Toirano (SV) Luogo di esposizione Grotte di Toirano (SV) Numero di catalogo: CdO1096 Visita il sito delle Grotte Regno: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Classe: Mammalia Ordine: Carnivora Famiglia: Ursidae Genere: Ursus Specie: \u2020Ursus spelaeus Rosenm\u00fcller, 1794 Modificata da \u201cUrsus spelaeus\u201d di Hamelin de Guettelet, Wikimedia Commons, licenza CC BY-SA 3.0 (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/). ERA: Cenozoico PERIODO: Quaternario EPOCA: Pleistocene ET\u00c0: Pleistocene Superiore (0.13-0.012 Ma) Esplora la Scala del Tempo Geologico completa Diverse grotte presso Toirano (SV) Grotte di Toirano (SV) Numero di catalogo: CdO1096 Visita il sito delle Grotte Galleria Vista a tre quarti dell&#8217; Ursus spelaeus esposto presso le Grotte di Toirano. Da notare la postura plantigrada in cui, come nei primati, l&#8217;intero palmo della mano e la pianta del piede vengono appoggiati a terra durante la locomozione.Su gentile concessione del Ministero della Cultura, Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per le province di Imperia e Savona. Per saperne di pi\u00f9: Zunino, M., Starnini, E., Arobba, D., Avanzini, M., Citton, P., Firpo, M., &#8230; &amp; Rellini, I. (2022). New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bone deposit from B\u00e0sura cave (Toirano, NW Italy). Journal of Quaternary Science, 37(6), 1133-1147. Romano M., Citton P., Salvador I., Arobba D., Rellini I., Firpo M., Negrino F., Zunino M., Starnini E. &amp; Avanzini M. (2019). A multidisciplinary approach to a unique palaeolithic human ichnological record from Italy (B\u00e0sura Cave). eLife 2019, 8: e45204. Crediti e ringraziamenti Un sentito ringraziamento per la condivisione del materiale multimediale utilizzato in questa pagina va alla Dottoressa Stefania Canavese del Servizio Grotte di Toirano. Per la concessione delle autorizzazioni all&#8217;uso del materiale si ringraziano il Dottor Stefano Costa e la Dottoressa Marta Conventi della Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle arti e Paesaggio per le province di Savona e Imperia.\u00c8 vietata la riproduzione, la distribuzione e qualsiasi altro utilizzo senza preventiva autorizzazione della suddetta. Grazie anche alla Professoressa Marta Zunino dell\u2019Universit\u00e0 di Genova per il sostegno e la collaborazione.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1292","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Liguria - Fossili Regionali<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/ursus-spelaeus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Liguria - Fossili Regionali\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ursus spelaeus Scheletro completo di orso Descrizione Il reperto, costituito da resti appartenenti a vari individui rinvenuti in grotte del Ponente ligure, rappresenta una ricostruzione quasi completa di Ursus spelaeus, l&#8217;orso delle caverne, una specie diffusa in tutta Europa e Asia durante il Pleistocene. I resti di questo orso estinto si ritrovano con relativa facilit\u00e0 nelle grotte del Ponente ligure, dalSavonese all&#8217;Imperiese. Tuttavia, \u00e8 nelle Grotte di Toirano che si registra la pi\u00f9 alta concentrazione di reperti, con accumuli davvero spettacolari. In particolare, nel sito noto con il suggestivo nome di &#8220;Cimitero degli orsi&#8220;, sono stati individuati due livelli di accumulo. Dal primo provengono resti appartenenti ad almeno 139 individui, tra cui 57 cuccioli, 63 giovani e 19 adulti, datati a un intervallo temporale compreso tra i 50.000 e i 24.000 anni fa. Il secondo livello, invece, non \u00e8 stato ancora oggetto di indagine sistematica. L&#8217;analisi dei reperti rinvenuti nella cosiddetta Sala dei Misteri, un settore delle grotte situato pi\u00f9 a monte, ha permesso di accertare che l&#8217;alta concentrazione di orsi \u00e8 il risultato di un accumulo prolungato nel tempo ad opera di fenomeni fisici. I resti, infatti sembrano essersi accumulati in questa zone dopo essere stati trasportati da un&#8217;area esterna, collegata direttamente con l&#8217;ambiente sotterraneo. Classificazione e confronto dimensionale Regno: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Classe: Mammalia Ordine: Carnivora Famiglia: Ursidae Genere: Ursus Specie: \u2020Ursus spelaeus Rosenm\u00fcller, 1794 Modificata da \u201cUrsus spelaeus\u201d di Hamelin de Guettelet, Wikimedia Commons, licenza CC BY-SA 3.0 (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/). Scala del Tempo Geologico ERA: Cenozoico PERIODO: Quaternario EPOCA: Pleistocene ET\u00c0: Pleistocene Superiore (0.13-0.012 Ma) Esplora la Scala del Tempo Geologico completa Luogo di ritrovamento Diverse grotte presso Toirano (SV) Luogo di esposizione Grotte di Toirano (SV) Numero di catalogo: CdO1096 Visita il sito delle Grotte Regno: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Classe: Mammalia Ordine: Carnivora Famiglia: Ursidae Genere: Ursus Specie: \u2020Ursus spelaeus Rosenm\u00fcller, 1794 Modificata da \u201cUrsus spelaeus\u201d di Hamelin de Guettelet, Wikimedia Commons, licenza CC BY-SA 3.0 (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/). ERA: Cenozoico PERIODO: Quaternario EPOCA: Pleistocene ET\u00c0: Pleistocene Superiore (0.13-0.012 Ma) Esplora la Scala del Tempo Geologico completa Diverse grotte presso Toirano (SV) Grotte di Toirano (SV) Numero di catalogo: CdO1096 Visita il sito delle Grotte Galleria Vista a tre quarti dell&#8217; Ursus spelaeus esposto presso le Grotte di Toirano. Da notare la postura plantigrada in cui, come nei primati, l&#8217;intero palmo della mano e la pianta del piede vengono appoggiati a terra durante la locomozione.Su gentile concessione del Ministero della Cultura, Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per le province di Imperia e Savona. Per saperne di pi\u00f9: Zunino, M., Starnini, E., Arobba, D., Avanzini, M., Citton, P., Firpo, M., &#8230; &amp; Rellini, I. (2022). New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bone deposit from B\u00e0sura cave (Toirano, NW Italy). Journal of Quaternary Science, 37(6), 1133-1147. Romano M., Citton P., Salvador I., Arobba D., Rellini I., Firpo M., Negrino F., Zunino M., Starnini E. &amp; Avanzini M. (2019). A multidisciplinary approach to a unique palaeolithic human ichnological record from Italy (B\u00e0sura Cave). eLife 2019, 8: e45204. Crediti e ringraziamenti Un sentito ringraziamento per la condivisione del materiale multimediale utilizzato in questa pagina va alla Dottoressa Stefania Canavese del Servizio Grotte di Toirano. Per la concessione delle autorizzazioni all&#8217;uso del materiale si ringraziano il Dottor Stefano Costa e la Dottoressa Marta Conventi della Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle arti e Paesaggio per le province di Savona e Imperia.\u00c8 vietata la riproduzione, la distribuzione e qualsiasi altro utilizzo senza preventiva autorizzazione della suddetta. Grazie anche alla Professoressa Marta Zunino dell\u2019Universit\u00e0 di Genova per il sostegno e la collaborazione.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/ursus-spelaeus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Fossili Regionali\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-19T10:26:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"521\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"258\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/ursus-spelaeus\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/ursus-spelaeus\\\/\",\"name\":\"Liguria - Fossili Regionali\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/ursus-spelaeus\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/ursus-spelaeus\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685-300x149.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-07-30T14:03:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-19T10:26:17+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/ursus-spelaeus\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/ursus-spelaeus\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/ursus-spelaeus\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685-300x149.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685-300x149.png\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/ursus-spelaeus\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Liguria\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/\",\"name\":\"Fossili Regionali\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/fossiliregionali.it\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Liguria - Fossili Regionali","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/ursus-spelaeus\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Liguria - Fossili Regionali","og_description":"Ursus spelaeus Scheletro completo di orso Descrizione Il reperto, costituito da resti appartenenti a vari individui rinvenuti in grotte del Ponente ligure, rappresenta una ricostruzione quasi completa di Ursus spelaeus, l&#8217;orso delle caverne, una specie diffusa in tutta Europa e Asia durante il Pleistocene. I resti di questo orso estinto si ritrovano con relativa facilit\u00e0 nelle grotte del Ponente ligure, dalSavonese all&#8217;Imperiese. Tuttavia, \u00e8 nelle Grotte di Toirano che si registra la pi\u00f9 alta concentrazione di reperti, con accumuli davvero spettacolari. In particolare, nel sito noto con il suggestivo nome di &#8220;Cimitero degli orsi&#8220;, sono stati individuati due livelli di accumulo. Dal primo provengono resti appartenenti ad almeno 139 individui, tra cui 57 cuccioli, 63 giovani e 19 adulti, datati a un intervallo temporale compreso tra i 50.000 e i 24.000 anni fa. Il secondo livello, invece, non \u00e8 stato ancora oggetto di indagine sistematica. L&#8217;analisi dei reperti rinvenuti nella cosiddetta Sala dei Misteri, un settore delle grotte situato pi\u00f9 a monte, ha permesso di accertare che l&#8217;alta concentrazione di orsi \u00e8 il risultato di un accumulo prolungato nel tempo ad opera di fenomeni fisici. I resti, infatti sembrano essersi accumulati in questa zone dopo essere stati trasportati da un&#8217;area esterna, collegata direttamente con l&#8217;ambiente sotterraneo. Classificazione e confronto dimensionale Regno: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Classe: Mammalia Ordine: Carnivora Famiglia: Ursidae Genere: Ursus Specie: \u2020Ursus spelaeus Rosenm\u00fcller, 1794 Modificata da \u201cUrsus spelaeus\u201d di Hamelin de Guettelet, Wikimedia Commons, licenza CC BY-SA 3.0 (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/). Scala del Tempo Geologico ERA: Cenozoico PERIODO: Quaternario EPOCA: Pleistocene ET\u00c0: Pleistocene Superiore (0.13-0.012 Ma) Esplora la Scala del Tempo Geologico completa Luogo di ritrovamento Diverse grotte presso Toirano (SV) Luogo di esposizione Grotte di Toirano (SV) Numero di catalogo: CdO1096 Visita il sito delle Grotte Regno: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Classe: Mammalia Ordine: Carnivora Famiglia: Ursidae Genere: Ursus Specie: \u2020Ursus spelaeus Rosenm\u00fcller, 1794 Modificata da \u201cUrsus spelaeus\u201d di Hamelin de Guettelet, Wikimedia Commons, licenza CC BY-SA 3.0 (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/). ERA: Cenozoico PERIODO: Quaternario EPOCA: Pleistocene ET\u00c0: Pleistocene Superiore (0.13-0.012 Ma) Esplora la Scala del Tempo Geologico completa Diverse grotte presso Toirano (SV) Grotte di Toirano (SV) Numero di catalogo: CdO1096 Visita il sito delle Grotte Galleria Vista a tre quarti dell&#8217; Ursus spelaeus esposto presso le Grotte di Toirano. Da notare la postura plantigrada in cui, come nei primati, l&#8217;intero palmo della mano e la pianta del piede vengono appoggiati a terra durante la locomozione.Su gentile concessione del Ministero della Cultura, Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per le province di Imperia e Savona. Per saperne di pi\u00f9: Zunino, M., Starnini, E., Arobba, D., Avanzini, M., Citton, P., Firpo, M., &#8230; &amp; Rellini, I. (2022). New insights into taphonomic analysis of the Upper Pleistocene Ursus spelaeus bone deposit from B\u00e0sura cave (Toirano, NW Italy). Journal of Quaternary Science, 37(6), 1133-1147. Romano M., Citton P., Salvador I., Arobba D., Rellini I., Firpo M., Negrino F., Zunino M., Starnini E. &amp; Avanzini M. (2019). A multidisciplinary approach to a unique palaeolithic human ichnological record from Italy (B\u00e0sura Cave). eLife 2019, 8: e45204. Crediti e ringraziamenti Un sentito ringraziamento per la condivisione del materiale multimediale utilizzato in questa pagina va alla Dottoressa Stefania Canavese del Servizio Grotte di Toirano. Per la concessione delle autorizzazioni all&#8217;uso del materiale si ringraziano il Dottor Stefano Costa e la Dottoressa Marta Conventi della Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle arti e Paesaggio per le province di Savona e Imperia.\u00c8 vietata la riproduzione, la distribuzione e qualsiasi altro utilizzo senza preventiva autorizzazione della suddetta. Grazie anche alla Professoressa Marta Zunino dell\u2019Universit\u00e0 di Genova per il sostegno e la collaborazione.","og_url":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/ursus-spelaeus\/","og_site_name":"Fossili Regionali","article_modified_time":"2026-08-19T10:26:17+00:00","og_image":[{"width":521,"height":258,"url":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Estimated reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/ursus-spelaeus\/","url":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/ursus-spelaeus\/","name":"Liguria - Fossili Regionali","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/ursus-spelaeus\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/ursus-spelaeus\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685-300x149.png","datePublished":"2024-07-30T14:03:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-19T10:26:17+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/ursus-spelaeus\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/ursus-spelaeus\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/ursus-spelaeus\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685-300x149.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ursus-no-sfondo-e1746467972685-300x149.png"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/ursus-spelaeus\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Liguria"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/#website","url":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/","name":"Fossili Regionali initiative","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1292","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1292"}],"version-history":[{"count":113,"href":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1292\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5831,"href":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1292\/revisions\/5831"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fossiliregionali.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}