Archaeologists Find 24,000-Year-Old Palaeolithic Cave Art In Spain

The largest prehistoric cave art collection in Eastern Iberia has been uncovered in a cavern in Spain's Valencia province. The huge collection of cave art comprises at least 19 distinct animals and has been dated to over 24,000 years old.

The ancient paintings and engravings have been discovered in a 500-metre-long cave in "Cova Dones" or "Cueva Dones," a site in Millares in Valencia, Spain. The Palaeolithic, or Stone Age, rock art is "arguably the most important found on the Eastern Iberian Coast in Europe," the team said in a statement.

Investigations in 2023 confirmed the site to be a "major Palaeolithic art sanctuary," according to the researchers in a study published September 8 in the journal Antiquity. "The site consists of a single-gallery cave, approximately 500 metres deep, that opens onto a steep canyon in the municipality of Millares," says the study. "Despite some Iron Age finds, the existence of Palaeolithic remains was unknown until an informal exploration in 2021 identified four painted motifs, including an aurochs head. Further work in 2023 allowed us to identify the site as a major Palaeolithic art sanctuary, given the quantity and variety of motifs and the richness and detail of its technical features."

Rock Art Sites In Spain

More than 100 archaeological sites of significant value are located in Spain and are part of the Council of Europe's Cultural Route "Prehistoric Rock Art Trails." The Prehistoric Rock Art Trails are 15 rock art routes in Spain that take you on an interesting journey to the artistic origins of humanity.

UNESCO Heritage Sites

There are four major rock art sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Altamira Cave and Palaeolithic Rock Art of Northern Spain, the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Arc of the Iberian Peninsula, the Prehistoric Rock Art site of Siega Verde and the Cultural Landscape of the Fallen Crag and Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria.