Two important Levantine rock art archaeological sites are found
The researchers from the Seminar on Prehistoric Studies of the University of Barcelona (SERP-UB) Inés Domingo and Dídac Roman, published the location of two prehistoric archaeological sites which are an important contribution to the knowledge of Levantine cave paintings, declared World Heritage by UNESCO. In particular, these findings are in Volta Espessa and Ferranda, in Vilafranca (Castelló), paintings that stand out both for amount and the dimension of the represented motifs.
The researchers from the Seminar on Prehistoric Studies of the University of Barcelona (SERP-UB) Inés Domingo and Dídac Roman, published the location of two prehistoric archaeological sites which are an important contribution to the knowledge of Levantine cave paintings, declared World Heritage by UNESCO. In particular, these findings are in Volta Espessa and Ferranda, in Vilafranca (Castelló), paintings that stand out both for amount and the dimension of the represented motifs.
In Ferranda, the paintings show a warthogs hunting. “La Ferranda can be considered to be parallel, regarding the style and composition of the paintings, to one of the most known Levantine arts: cova dels cavalls (cave of horses), which would be the Altamira of the Levantine art”, says ICREA researcher Inés Domingo.
La Volta Espessa and la Ferranda provide many pictures from 7,000 years ago on human figures and animals (bulls, warthogs, deers and goats), which are well preserved and painted in red and black. Also, these are found between two rock art areas, in the Cultural Park of Valltorta-Cassulla and Baix Aragó. Therefore, these new findings create a path communicating two areas of rock art which fill a “geographical void”.
The researchers, who in 2013 found the archaeological site of Volta Espessa and in 2016 found the one in la Ferranda, did not publish the location until they had the aids to close these paintings and therefore protect them from vandalism. The next stage has started, and it is the opening of the findings to the public so that people can visit these sites as a sustainable tourism activity. The researchers are willing to publish these findings in the science field and continue with their task in the archaeological sites, especially those relates to preservation and cleanliness. This study was carried out framed within several projects funded by the ministries of Culture and Economy and Competitiveness. The town council of Vilafranca (Castelló), Blasco de Alagón Foundation, and the Generalitat Valenciana also collaborated in the project. Inés Domingo and Dídac Roman are researchers in SERP, a group led by Josep Maria Fullola.