Côa Valley Archaeological Park
Guarda
The Côa Valley Archaeological Park in northeastern Portugal is a remarkable open-air site renowned for its extensive collection of prehistoric rock art. Discovered in the early 1990s during dam construction, the site features thousands of engraved images of animals such as horses, aurochs, and deer, as well as abstract and anthropomorphic figures. These artworks date from approximately 22,000 to 10,000 years B.C., primarily from the Upper Paleolithic period, with additional carvings from the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age. The park preserves these engravings on vertical schist rock surfaces exposed to the east, with sizes ranging mostly between 40 to 50 centimeters. The engravings were created using techniques like pecking and abrasion, resulting in detailed and layered depictions. Since the discovery, the site has been protected from dam construction and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting researchers and visitors alike. The park includes a museum designed to showcase the findings, and ongoing archaeological work continues to uncover new art, including recently found portable engraved stones. The Côa Valley offers a unique glimpse into prehistoric human expression and the cultural evolution of early societies in the Iberian Peninsula.
Planifiez votre voyage en Portugal avec l'IA
Créez un itinéraire détaillé en quelques minutes. L'IA suggère les meilleurs endroits, restaurants et un itinéraire optimisé.
Astuce: Visit the Côa Valley Archaeological Park during spring or autumn for pleasant weather and optimal viewing conditions. Booking tickets in advance is recommended due to visitor limits aimed at preserving the site. Guided tours provide valuable insights into the engravings' history and techniques. Discounts may be available for students, seniors, and groups. Check the official website for updated opening hours and visitor information.
Faits intéressants
- •The Côa Valley holds the largest known open-air Paleolithic rock art complex in the world.
- •The engravings include depictions of extinct animals such as aurochs, detailed with nostrils and mouths.
- •Some of the most recent carvings date from the 17th to 20th centuries, featuring modern scenes like trains and planes.
- •The discovery of the site in the 1990s halted a dam project that would have flooded the area.
- •In 2018, the Côa Valley art became part of the Council of Europe's Cultural Route, alongside famous sites like Lascaux and Altamira.
- •A recently discovered engraved schist stone depicts a mountain goat alongside a deer, dating back approximately 12,000 years.
Histoire
The earliest rock engravings in the Côa Valley date back between 22,000 and 20,000 years B.C., depicting zoomorphic figures from the Upper Paleolithic period.
Subsequent carvings from the Solutrean and Magdalenian periods show increasing artistic elaboration.
Later periods, including the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age, added geometric, anthropomorphic, and symbolic carvings.
In the 20th century, construction of the Pocinho Dam submerged some rock art, but the 1991 discovery of additional engravings led to a halt in dam construction after public and scientific outcry.
Since 1995, the area has been protected and studied extensively, culminating in its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 and later expanded to include Spanish sites in 2010.
Guide du lieu
Main Engraving Panels22,000–10,000 B.C.
These panels feature thousands of Paleolithic rock engravings depicting animals such as horses, aurochs, and deer, as well as abstract and anthropomorphic figures. The engravings are carved on vertical schist surfaces exposed to the east, showcasing techniques like pecking and abrasion that create detailed images.
Côa MuseumConstructed post-1995
A museum built near the archaeological park to exhibit and interpret the rock art findings. It features displays on the discovery, preservation efforts, and the cultural context of the engravings.
Contact
Téléphone: 279 768 260
