Escoural Cave, Prehistoric cave art site in Santiago do Escoural, Portugal
The cave contains a complex network of horizontal halls and galleries decorated with paintings and engravings of animals, particularly horses and bovids.
Discovered in 1963 during quarry operations, the cave revealed continuous human occupation from Middle Paleolithic through Late Neolithic periods, spanning 50,000 years.
The rock art within the cave displays numerous symbolic motifs, geometric patterns, and animal representations created by hunter-gatherer groups during Early Holocene.
Visits to the cave require advance reservations through the Interpretation Centre, with tours limited to 10 people per group at 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM.
The cave remains the only documented location in Portugal containing Paleolithic cave paintings and engravings, making it a crucial site for prehistoric research.
Location: Santiago do Escoural
Operator: DRCAlentejo, Portaria n.º 829/2009, DR, 2.ª série, n.º 163 de 24 agosto 2009
GPS coordinates: 38.54341,-8.13765
Latest update: March 2, 2025 23:04
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