Portuguese Rock Art	October 10, 2000
by Paul G. Bahn

This figure of a horse, pecked out of a rock in Portugal ca. 28,000-18,000 B.C., shows that the phenomenon of palaeolithic open-air art was very widespread. (António Martinho Baptista) [LARGER IMAGE]

Construction work on a highway in the area of the River Tagus in southern Portugal has led to the discovery of some panels of rock engravings of different periods, including one pecked figure of palaeolithic style, the first in this region. The figure, a horse in profile, facing right, resembles others of its kind such as the Mazouco horse in northeast Portugal (the first open-air palaeolithic figure to be recognized about 20 years ago) and the isolated horse of Piedras Blancas in southern Spain, as well as the numerous pecked horse figures of Siega Verde and Foz Côa, both in the region of the River Douro.

Preliminary stylistic assessments of the new figure assign it to the same era (ca. 28,000-18,000 B.C.) as the early images of Foz Côa and the Portuguese decorated cave of Escoural. In any case, the new discovery, together with others in the Iberian Peninsula which have yet to be announced, show that the phenomenon of palaeolithic open-air art was very widespread, and more examples are expected to come to light soon.

© 2000 by the Archaeological Institute of America www.archaeology.org/online/news/portugal.html

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