Spain cave discovery reveals 280 prehistoric engravings

Archaeologists have identified one of the largest collections of Paleolithic cave art ever found in Mediterranean Iberia. The discovery consists of 280 rock engravings located in the Cova de la Font Major, near the town of Espluga de Francolí in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia.

The artworks, which may date back approximately 26,000 years to the Ice Age, include 55 representations of animals such as horses, deer, and bears, alongside various abstract shapes, swirls, and geometric patterns. Researchers noted that the engravings remained largely unnoticed for decades despite the cave being a popular tourist attraction since 1957.

Míriam Salas-Altès, a co-author of the study published in the journal Antiquity, suggested that the dark conditions within the cave made the ancient etchings difficult to distinguish from modern graffiti scrawled on the walls by visitors. The find is considered significant as most Paleolithic art in the region has historically been located in the northern Franco-Cantabrian area.