Rock art of the Iberian Mediterranean Basin
World Heritage Site in Spain / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rock art of the Iberian Mediterranean Basin, or Levantine art, is a group of over 750 prehistoric sites.[1] They were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998.[1]
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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Location | Spain |
Criteria | Cultural: (iii) |
Reference | 874 |
Inscription | 1998 (22nd Session) |
Coordinates | 39°47′24″N 1°02′00″W |
The sites are in the eastern part of Spain. They show rock art from the Upper Paleolithic or (more likely) Mesolithic periods of the Stone Age.[2]
The art is small painted figures of humans and animals.[3] The earliest phases are of animals only.[3] They are the most advanced and widespread examples from this period, certainly in Europe. It is notable for the number of places included, the largest concentration of such art in Europe. Its name refers to the Mediterranean Basin. However, while some sites are near the sea, many of them are inland in Aragon and Castile-La Mancha. "Levantine Art" here means "from Eastern Spain", not the Levant region).