Grotto de Sainte-Colombe
| Grotto de Sainte-Colombe
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 Grotto of Sainte-Colombe near Undervelier, Canton Jura, Switzerland. |
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| Location: | Jura , Switzerland | |
| Height : | 531 m above sea level M. | |
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Geographic location: |
583 409 / 239545 | |
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| Particularities: | Place of pilgrimage | |
The Grotte de Sainte-Colombe near Undervelier in the Swiss canton of Jura is located on the left bank of the Sorne between Les Forges and Undervelier on the edge of the road that connects the Delsberg basin with Bellelay . It is 26 meters wide, goes 30 meters deep into the mountain and is 7 meters high at the entrance. The Abri at the bottom of the Gorges du Pichoux (Pichoux Gorges) was used in prehistoric times and is now a place of pilgrimage.
A small karst spring rises in the background of the cave . The water, which is said to have miraculous healing powers, flows as a trickle from a stalagmite into a shallow basin. There is a crucifix under the entrance arch of the grotto, which is dedicated to St. Kolumba de Sens , a martyr of the 3rd century . Since the 13th century, the place has been a documented destination of a pilgrimage on August 15th .
Archaeological excavations, carried out in the 19th century by Sentier Auguste Quiquerez and in 1942 by Frédéric-Edouard Koby, revealed prehistoric traces despite considerable disruption of the cultural layers. Bones and worked flint point to a Stone Age presence of people . Beaver , ibex and elk are documented by animal bones . The site is better known for its pottery finds from the Middle and Late Bronze Age (around 1500 to 1000 BC). Iron finds and Gallo-Roman and medieval ceramics are also represented.
literature
- R. Gigon & R. Wenger: Inventaire spéléologique de la Suisse. II, Canton du Jura. Porrentruy 1986.
- M. Schenardi: L'Age du Bronze dans le Canton du Jura. Cahier d'archéologie jurassienne 5. Porrentruy 1994.
