Filling new territories with Palaeolithic rock art. Cueva Hermosa (Calcena, Zaragoza, Spain)

Abstract

The new rock art discovery at Cueva Hermosa (Calcena, Zaragoza) can be defined as the second Palaeolithic rock art site found in the Middle Ebro basin (Spain). Three decorated panels showing the remains of series of red dots or paint have been documented until now. Two of the panels are located near the current entrance of the cave, while the third more complex panel is in the interior. Panel 3 is composed of a well-organised dot series, regularly separated, forming 12–13 columns in a rectangular-like shape. This group, divided into two subgroups (possibly because of the rock preservation conditions), was drawn in a sort of large natural niche, partially modified by human action, whose morphology could suggest a mammoth-like profile. This topic (clouds of red dots) is quite abundant in Cantabrian and French Palaeolithic rock art sites (Fuente del Trucho, Altamira, Castillo, Chufin, Marsoulas…) and is quite well represented in association with natural reliefs (Pindal, Pestillac, Aldène, Mayenne, Font de Gaume…).Cueva Hermosa suggests new interpretative possibilities relating to human occupation with rock art manifestations in peripheral areas, providing information about human settlement patterns and communications networks in the Middle Ebro basin and Meseta during the Upper Palaeolithic.