Estudio espeleológico de Aitzbitarte

SUMMARY The Aitzbitarte karst is a limestone outcrop of small extent, in which are located different cavities, several of which contain in both ar - chaeological and/or paleontological beds. These cavities are among the first studied in The Basque Country and still toda y archaeological excavations are carried out. In spite of this a whole study of the massif at a spelaological level remained pending. The Aitzbitarte karst study was conceibed at the begining as a cartographic study, wich would, at a later date, have to serve as a basis to elaborate hypotheses about the hydrogeological functioni ng and evolution of the massif. In effect, the situation and precise topography of each of the know cavities of the Aitzbitarte, was to be ca rried out, despite its archaeological fame. In the same way a scrupulous inven - tory has been elaborated the massif cavities. This has risen from 8 to 35 catalogued cavities. A precise geological mapping has b een carried out. Finally, test were made with tracers to find out drainage directions.