Cueva de las Orcas

Cueva de las Orcas is a small cave shelter in the Sierra de la Plata near Tarifa containing rock paintings created over thousands of years. The walls display art made by different groups of people at different times, layered across the same rock surfaces.

The oldest paintings were created in the Stone Age and show animals such as deer and horses in red and yellow pigments. Later people added schematic patterns and human figures to the same rock walls.

The cave walls display two distinct historical periods: Paleolithic representations of animals and post-Paleolithic schematic art featuring anthropomorphic figures, crosses, and geometric patterns.

The site sits just a few hundred meters from the sea within a residential area, making exploration relatively straightforward. The location is easily reached on foot, though the coastal terrain requires careful walking on uneven paths.

The name may refer to orcas that swim along the bay and were likely observed by people in this area. The strategic location could have helped people track the movements of whales and fish that served as important food sources.

Location: Tarifa

Address: Urb. Atlanterra G, 80, 11391 Tarifa, Cádiz, Spain

GPS coordinates: 36.10576,-5.82163

Latest update: December 15, 2025 13:21