Moon's Clap

Gibraltar

Gibraltar Rock sits like a slice of Victoria sponge, a crowning glory on the shores of the Med.  In truth, it is more a layer cake of history; caves in its vast Jurassic limestone cliffs offered shelter to Neanderthal Man, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Moors & other Islamic conquerors, Spanish and British masters.  It was the last stop in what could have been a nasty, one-way ride over the waterfall at land’s end.  

Engraving from Wiki

When winds blow from the Levante (mystic east), great swirls of cloud engulf the rock in extraordinary aerobatics.  There is often not another cloud in the sky.  It is easy to see how the ancients imagined it imbued with mysterious powers, a place for the gods. The Phoenicians called it Mons Calpe and its twin across the Strait, Mons Abyla.  The Greeks called them the Gates (or Pillars) of Hercules. 

What is this, an upscaled Tardis? 
Patriotic Public Rest Rooms of course!

The Museum didn’t mention Hercules.  It held other, less improbable treasures.  Housed in the old Ordinance Depot (or Bomb House) this unassuming rabbit warren of displays holds some surprising finds.  Foremost would have to be a replica of the 1848 find in Forbes’ Quarry – an adult Neanderthal skull.  This and other discoveries, including a Neanderthal child, settled Gibraltar’s caves as a rich storehouse of ancient dead.  Excavations by experts continue.

The caption says it all - this man existed some 60,000 years ago!!

Another room revealed a mysterious Egyptian mummy (800 BC), complete with wooden caskets.  It was found floating in the Bay in the 1930’s – little more is known about it.  (Perhaps there’s more smuggled than we imagine?)  A further treat was found down in the dank underground basement.  A once-luxurious 14^th c Moorish bath-house, complete with steam room and refreshing pool to cool off after a massage and sauna, had been excavated.  During its long life, this complex once served as stables to the Military Depot. It is gratifying to see, as we discover more about our history, we try to preserve and learn from it.

Wiki is a great start to (on-line) learning more about Gibraltar's extensive history.  Interestingly, Gibraltar's current name is a derivative of Jabal Ṭāriq, after an Islamic conqueror, 711.  Gibraltar had become a destination of religious pilgrimage for many peoples of the Mediterranean since Neanderthal times; many were travellers and sailors as they headed out into the wilds of the Atlantic to the unknown beyond.  No wonder it has an aura of mystery, sending a chill up your spine, especially when ringed in cloud.