Spain

Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin

WHS Score 2.09
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0.5

  • Caspar
  • Wojciech Fedoruk

1.0

  • CugelVance
  • David Berlanda
  • Dwight Zehuan Xiao
  • Evgenii
  • Hasco
  • Ilya Burlak
  • Mike
  • nan
  • Zoë Sheng

1.5

  • Alexander Lehmann
  • Argo
  • Clyde
  • DavidS
  • Hubert
  • Jean Lecaillon
  • João Aender
  • Lucio

2.0

  • Christravelblog
  • Dirk-pieter
  • Els Slots
  • Ivan Rucek
  • Lukasz Palczewski
  • Martinacurra88
  • Martina Rúčková
  • Michiel Dekker
  • Philipp Leu
  • Philipp Peterer
  • Solivagant
  • Wieland

2.5

  • Can SARICA
  • GeorgeIng61
  • Jeanne OGrady
  • Peter Lööv
  • Shandos Cleaver

3.0

  • Craig Harder
  • Daniel Chazad
  • Javier
  • Lisu Marian
  • Porcho
  • Randi Thomsen
  • Svein Elias
  • WILLIAM RICH

3.5

  • Antonio J.
  • PabloNorte

4.0

  • Nick M
  • Stanislaw Warwas
  • Thibault Magnien

4.5

  • Walter

5.0

  • Inigo Cia
  • Tarquinio_Superbo
Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin by Els Slots
Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin by Els Slots 2

The Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula comprises the largest group of rock art sites found in Europe.

They consist of 758 prehistoric sites in eastern Spain and represent a distinct rock art tradition. They are mostly exposed in the open air. These rock art sites form an exceptionally large group; the figures are relatively small in size and depict scenes from the transition stage from hunter-gatherer to sedentary farmer.

Community Perspective: We think the number of locations is a joke (“If you need 758 locations to assert OUV, you can imagine how weak each one of them must be.”). If you want to visit some without the need for a specialist guided tour, check out the Sierra de Albarracín (as described by Els) or Monte Arabí (visited by Clyde) or El Cogul (Alexander) or Pedra de les Orenetes near Barcelona (Caspar, on public transport) or La Sarga (Watkinstravel, free tours on Sunday). Most of the rock art can only be “appreciated” from behind a fence. Hubert did a guided tour to the Abrigo Grande de Minateda.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula (ID: 874)
Country
Spain
Status
Inscribed 1998 Site history
History of Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin
1998: Inscribed
Inscribed
Type
Cultural
Criteria
  • iii
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
Official
Related
All Links
UNESCO.org
Official Website
Forum Discussion
Related Resources
News Article
  • 19 Aug 2015 translate.google.nl — Investigation into the placement of solar panels in La Serreta Cave
  • 23 Apr 2014 rt.com — Thieves damage 5,000-yo rock in Los Escolares Cave

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Archaeological site: Rock Art
Travel Information
Exact locations inscribed twice (or more)
Exact locations inscribed twice (or more)
Rock Art of the Mediterranean Bassin location no545 (Abrigo de la Ermita de San …
Free entrance
Free entrance
Some might have an entry fee, but a lot of them are free and …
Valencia Hotspot
Catalonia hotspot
Catalonia hotspot
Pedra de les Orenetes can be easily reached from Barcelona in a day with …
Andalusia hotspot
Recent Connections
View all (13) .
Connections of Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin
Geography
Trivia
World Heritage Process
Human Activity
WHS on Other Lists
  • World Biosphere Reserves
    Valle del Cabriel Biosphere Reserve (Spain 2019): "Rich cultural heritage remains the area include Villar del Humo, part of the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula World Heritage site."
Timeline
  • Built in the 9th millennium BC
    "The dating of this art has been the subject of many years of debate among prehistorians. It is now generally accepted that the art is not Palaeolithic, because of the culture that it depicts, but its precise attribution - whether it began in the Epipalaeolithic (from c 10,000 to 5000 BC) or in the full Neolithic that followed - is still not fully established. The nomination dossier proposes an elegant partial reconciliation of the two points of view: ... This may interpreted as a bracket in time between c 8000 and 3500 BC." (AB ev)
WHS Hotspots
Science and Technology
Visiting conditions
  • Free entrance
    Some might have an entry fee, but a lot of them are free and there are no obvious major sites among the 727 locations.
News
translate.google.nl 19/08/2015
Investigation into the placement o…
rt.com 23/04/2014
Thieves damage 5,000-yo rock in Lo…

Community Reviews