{"id":2268,"date":"2022-11-15T11:44:06","date_gmt":"2022-11-15T09:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/covesdelespluga.info\/santuari-paleolitic\/"},"modified":"2024-07-23T09:38:14","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T07:38:14","slug":"santuari-paleolitic","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/covesdelespluga.info\/en\/santuari-paleolitic\/","title":{"rendered":"Paleolithic Sanctuary"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n \"\"
\n
\n \n

Descobert a l’Espluga de Francol\u00ed el primer santuari paleol\u00edtic de fa uns 37.000 anys a Catalunya, integrat per m\u00e9s de 300 gravats.<\/p>\n

La troballa \u00e9s excepcional i marca una fita en la hist\u00f2ria de l’arqueologia catalana. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

\n
\n \"\"
\n
\n \n

Descobert a l’Espluga de Francol\u00ed el primer santuari paleol\u00edtic de fa uns 37.000 anys a Catalunya, integrat per m\u00e9s de 300 gravats.<\/p>\n

La troballa \u00e9s excepcional i marca una fita en la hist\u00f2ria de l’arqueologia catalana. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

\n

The Paleolithic sanctuary of the Font Major cave.<\/b>
<\/h4> <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n \n\n
\n \n
\n

The engravings were located on October 30, 2019 by Josep Maria Verg\u00e8s,<\/strong> researcher at the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES).<\/p>\n

The shrine consists of figurative representations of animals mainly horses, hinds and oxen as well as abstract symbols. Due to the number and quality of the representations, it is one of the most significant groups of the so-called Paleolithic Mediterranean province.<\/p>\n

The gallery of engravings cannot be visited. These were made on layers of very soft sandy silt, in an area of difficult access and reduced dimensions. The fragility of the support makes that they can be damaged with the minimum contact and it is easy that it happens if one is not very careful.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n\n

\n\n
\n
\n \"\" <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Detail of the head of a watering doe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Graphics and chronology<\/b>
<\/h4> <\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

This group of rock art, made exclusively by the technique of engraving, is composed of more than 300 motifs, including abstract symbols “signs” and figurative representations of animals, mainly hinds, horses and oxen. Most of the representations can be attributed, due to their style, to the Upper Paleolithic, more specifically to the Magdalenian period, about 15,000 years ago, although some may be slightly older, and others that could be related to the Neolithic and more recent stages. The sanctuary consists of figurative representations of animals, mainly horses, hinds and oxen, as well as abstract symbols. Made exclusively by the technique of engraving, it is composed of more than a hundred motifs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n \n
\n

The shrine consists of figurative representations of animals, mainly horses, hinds and oxen, as well as abstract symbols.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Made exclusively by the technique of engraving, it is composed of more than a hundred motifs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n \n <\/div> \n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n \n\n
\n \n \n\n
\n\n
\n
\n \"\" <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Representation of an auroch, ancestor of today’s bovines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n \n \n\n
\n\n
\n
\n \"\" <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Schematic figure of a deer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n \n <\/div> \n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n \n\n
\n \n \n\n
\n\n
\n
\n \"\" <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Couple of cervids in geometrical style.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n \n \n\n
\n\n
\n
\n \"\" <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Set of intertwined abstract graphics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n \n <\/div> \n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

\n

What is its relevance?<\/b>
<\/h3> <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n \n\n
\n \n
\n

It is an exceptional discovery since it is the first sanctuary with figurative and abstract Paleolithic parietal rock art found in Catalonia. Due to the number and quality of the representations, it is one of the most significant groups of the so-called Mediterranean Paleolithic province.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div> \n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n \n\n
\n \n \n\n
\n\n
\n
\n \"\" <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Representaci\u00f3 figurativa d\u2019un cavall en moviment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Why not visit the gallery of engravings?
<\/h4> <\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

The engravings were made on a layer of fairly soft sandy silt (included in the conglomerates in which the cave was formed), in an area of difficult access and reduced dimensions. The poor consistency of the support means that they can be damaged or even erased with the slightest contact, and this, given the small dimensions of the space where they are found, is easy to happen if one is not very careful. In fact, several figures are damaged, and others have disappeared because of the traffic of visitors who, unaware of their existence, touched the walls and even, before the museumization of the cave, filled them with graffiti.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Since early 2020, a team of specialists from the Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia and researchers from IPHES, with the support of the Espluga de Francol\u00ed City Council, has been responsible for documenting this sanctuary using 3D technology to create a new museographic narrative around this discovery.<\/p>\n

The archaeological and research work in the Font Major cave is included in the four-year archaeological project of the Department of Culture “Paleoenvironmental evolution and prehistoric settlement in the basins of the rivers Francol\u00ed, Gai\u00e0, Siurana and streams of Camp de Tarragona”, directed by the IPHES.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n \n
\n

It is the first sanctuary with figurative and abstract Paleolithic parietal rock art found in Catalonia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Several figures are damaged, and others have disappeared due to the traffic of visitors who, unaware of its existence, touched the walls and even before the museumization of the cave, filled them with graffiti.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n \n <\/div> \n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n \n\n
\n \n \n\n
\n\n
\n
\n \"\" <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Search for engravings in the Gatoneres del Palletes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n \n \n\n
\n\n
\n
\n \"\" <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Documentation process of the gallery of engravings by 3D laser scanner, to obtain a three-dimensional model of the cavity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n \n <\/div> \n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n \n\n
\n \n \n\n
\n\n
\n
\n \"\" <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Representation of two overlapping quadrupeds, partially disappeared. The heads have been erased by the contact of the visitors’ hands with the wall and by graffiti, while the rear part is affected by natural phenomena of rock disintegration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div> \n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n \n\n
\n \n
\n

Latest research<\/b>
<\/h3> <\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n
\n \n
\n\n
\n\n\n
\n \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"“A\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\n\n
Recerca<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n
\n Publicat el

“A cavall dels temps”, la gran troballa paleol\u00edtica a l’Espluga de Francol\u00ed s’estrena a TV3<\/a><\/h3>\n\n <\/header>\n\n
\n\n

El documental “A cavall dels temps”, estrenat recentment a TV3, posa en valor una de les troballes m\u00e9s importants de l\u2019arqueologia catalana: el descobriment de m\u00e9s d\u2019un centenar de gravats del Paleol\u00edtic Superior a la Cova de la Font Major de l\u2019Espluga de Francol\u00ed. Aquests gravats, trobats el 30 d\u2019octubre de 2019, s\u00f3n \u00fanics a […]<\/p>\n llegir m\u00e9s…<\/a>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n

\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n \n
\n\n
\n\n\n
\n \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Els\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\n\n
Recerca<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n
\n Publicat el

Els arque\u00f2legs Josep M. Verg\u00e8s i Mir\u00edam Salas expliquen les darreres intervencions a les Coves als treballadors de Turisme<\/a><\/h3>\n\n <\/header>\n\n
\n\n

L\u2019Espluga de Francol\u00ed continua avan\u00e7ant en l\u2019exploraci\u00f3 del santuari Paleol\u00edtic amb diverses intervencions que estan emmarcades dins del projecte \u201cEvoluci\u00f3 paleoambiental i poblament prehist\u00f2ric a les conques dels rius Francol\u00ed, Gai\u00e0, Siurana i rieres del Camp de Tarragona\u201d de . Aquestes darreres intervencions realitzades durant aquest 2022 han estat detallades aquest dimarts 10 de gener […]<\/p>\n llegir m\u00e9s…<\/a>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n

\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n \n
\n\n
\n\n\n
\n \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"M\u00edriam\u00a0Salas\u00a0aconsegueix\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\n\n
Recerca<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n
\n Publicat el

M\u00edriam\u00a0Salas\u00a0aconsegueix una beca predoctoral\u00a0FPU\u00a0per estudiar els gravats d’art rupestre paleol\u00edtic de la Cova de la Font\u00a0Major<\/a><\/h3>\n\n <\/header>\n\n
\n\n

M\u00edriam Salas, llicenciada en Hist\u00f2ria a la Universitat Rovira i Virgili el 2020, va obtenir el m\u00e0ster Erasmus\u00a0Mundus\u00a0en Arqueologia Quatern\u00e0ria i Evoluci\u00f3 Humana a URV el 2022. El mateix any, va rebre una beca predoctoral\u00a0FPU\u00a0(MEFP) per dur a terme el seu doctorat supervisat pel Dr. Josep Maria\u00a0Verg\u00e8s\u00a0Bosch i el Dr.\u00a0Marcos\u00a0Garc\u00eda\u00a0Diez. El principal inter\u00e8s del projecte […]<\/p>\n llegir m\u00e9s…<\/a>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n

\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n \n <\/div> \n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n \n\n
\n \n
\n

Paleolithic sanctuary with more than 400 engravings in the Font Major cave in l’Espluga de Francol\u00ed.<\/b>
<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n \n\n

\n
\n