Pigment on wall in popular Spain cave is actually 12,000 years old. See the artwork
Cova Simanya Gran, a nearly 1,000-foot-long cave in Catalonia, has been at the center of ancient research for years.
Particularly accessible, the cave is one of the most visited in the northwest region of Spain, according to a July 2 news release from the Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES), the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution.
Neanderthal remains were discovered in the cave in 2019, and excavations revealed human activity in the cave dating back to the Middle Paleolithic period, researchers said in a study published June 17 in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
Researchers entered the caves countless times as part of the archaeological project. Then, one of the team members noticed something on the walls as they passed, according to the IPHES.
A splash of red was next to long, scratching lines, photos show. Then researchers discovered a grouping of large dots, according to the study.
They were prehistoric.
At first, it was hard to tell whether the images were new or old.
“Currently, this space is filled by numerous modern graffiti, created during times when the cave has been open to the public, as well as numerous bat scratches, especially at the end of the passage,” according to the study.
The images were painted and carved in a back, unlit section of the cave, according to the study, making it likely they were much older than any other graffiti toward the front.
The dots are arranged in a group, researchers said, a common image found in the Iberian Peninsula.
Their exact age has yet to be determined, according to the study, but based on the time researchers know the cave was occupied by ancient cultures, they believe the art to be between 12,000 and 14,500 years old.
Researchers said documented symbolic behavior, such as parietal art, is scarce from this time period, which makes this find particularly interesting.
The similarity of the dots to other artwork in the Iberian Peninsula also shows the long-distance links between groups and the role of art in their relationships, according to the release.
The Simanya cave is in Catalonia, in northeastern Spain.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution.
This story was originally published July 3, 2024 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Pigment on wall in popular Spain cave is actually 12,000 years old. See the artwork."
