Rock art of the Mediterranean basin on the Iberian Peninsula. From El Cogul to Kyoto

Abstract

Roca dels Moros in El Cogul is the first set of prehistoric paintings documented in Catalonia, and since its discovery in 1908 it has been a referent in prehistoric art on the Iberian Peninsula. Its existence garnered international attention on par with the bison of Altamira. The history of Roca dels Moros in El Cogul is the history of prehistoric rock art on the eastern side of the Iberian Peninsula. Based on this site, this article is a synthesis of the results of a study on the post-Palaeolithic rock art of the Mediterranean basin on the Iberian Peninsula for over 100 years, along with a discussion of the public administrations’ efforts to further the conservation and protection of this kind of archaeological site. These efforts have earned the rock art of the Mediterranean basin on the Iberian Peninsula a place on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.

Keywords

• rock painting
• rock art
• levantine art
• schematic art
• macroschematic art
• engravings
• epipalaeolithic
• mesolithic
• neolithic
• copper age
• chalcolithic
• management
• inventory
• world heritage site
• unesco