Northern Spain is home to the latest ancient paintings and carvings discovered by scientists. There are hundreds of carvings displayed in this cave, with some being more than fifteen thousand years. Vivid drawings relate to deer, horses, bulls and numerous symbols that are abstract to our society. Most familiar with prehistoric painting discoveries anticipated these to be found in Altamira, with them being located in Catalonia. Archaeologists and scientists discovered this incredibly decorated cave in October 2019.
It took them four months to release their discoveries, avoiding any potential criminal actions or defacing before examinations were complete. It should be noted that this mysterious Catalonia cave is now being governed by a large security force, which is being supported through the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology. These examinations note that these prehistoric paintings and carvings were located in Catalonia for religious purposes, with this location acting as a shrine.
After the initial testing was completed last week, additional archaeologists with proper tools were provided entry into the Catalonia Cave. These individuals used 3D Scanning Technologies to record each of these 200+ carvings, which were engraved into a soft layer of sand deposit. These deposits had re-collected over a 15+ thousand-year period, allowing for their location to remain unidentified since Archaeology Recording began in the modern era. Previous visitors to this location have damaged several of the figures, who would’ve been unaware of these drawings and carvings. Preserving this secretly located cave is now of the utmost importance for expects. The cave will likely be walled off, with permission granted to a minimal few on an unregular basis.
The Ancient Paintings
Archaeologist Experts governing over this Catalonia Cave have expressed that the oldest carving/painting dates back to the Late Stone Age. This is also considered the Upper Paleolithic Period, which follows similar dating’s seen from the Altamira Caves. Those drawings are dated to twenty thousand years, showing that the rate of travel during the Late Stone Age was minimal. Ancient humans traversed to new locations for dire situations, like the requirement for fresh food or new housing.
These researchers expressed that the various uncovered art was painted and carved for two continuous miles, with this location distancing itself by sixty miles from the Altamira Caves in Barcelona. It also took researchers more than 160+ years to find this second location, with the Altamira Caves being located in 1853. Those wanting to see wanting these newly found carvings will have to wait a prolonged period before this cave is opened to the public.