Museum Ladin Ursus ladinicus

Museum Ladin Ursus ladinicus in San Cassiano presents the cave-bear discovery from the Conturines cave alongside fossils and material on the geological formation of the Dolomites. It is an outpost of the Museum Ladin, whose principal seat is at Ciastel de Tor.

Why it matters

The museum interprets a significant local discovery: in 1987, Willy Costamoling found a cave entrance high on the Conturines mountain. Researchers identified thousands of bones inside as belonging to a previously unknown cave-bear subspecies, named Ursus spelaeus ladinicus in honour of the Ladin people. The San Cassiano museum was added to the Museum Ladin institution in 2011.

What to notice

The exhibition includes a cave-bear skeleton, original bones, teeth and skulls, and a reconstruction of a sleeping mother bear with cubs. Video installations and a fossil collection introduce the formation of the Dolomites. The high-altitude Conturines cave also yielded remains of cave lions.

Context and history

After Costamoling’s discovery in 1987, researchers led by Gernot Rabeder identified the bones, and a University of Vienna team began systematic excavations in 1988. The remains date to more than 50,000 years ago and include cave lion as well as cave bear. Ursus spelaeus ladinicus was named for the Ladin people of the area. Museum Ladin was founded in 1997 at Ciastel de Tor; the San Cassiano site joined the institution in 2011.