The cave art of the Mediterranean (1998)

Unesco


These sites in the Mediterranean Arc of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain), and their cave art, which dates from the end of the pre-historic period, constitute an exceptional set of works and provide a fascinating insight into how people lived during what was a critical phase of human development. The lively, graphic representations are unique not only on account of their style, buy also because of the themes that they portray. The set of cave paintings from the end of the pre-historic period located in the Spain’s eastern Mediterranean arc forms the largest group of cave art locations in the whole of Europe, and offers an exceptional perspective of the live of man in an essential period of human cultural evolution.

In total 16 of Lleida’s archaeological sites have been recognised by UNESCO as depositories of cave paintings of great value. They are important because they represent both one of the first artistic manifestations of the primitive Mediterranean civilisation and because they constitute an embryonic form of later plastic art forms.
This distinction has been granted to remains found in Western Catalonia (Spain) that include La Roca dels Moros del Cogul, one of the best conserved pieces of cave art, which provides an excellent example of the art that developed in this territory during the Palaeolithic period. It also includes the Cova de Cogulló, at Vilanova de Meià; the Cova dels Vilasos, at Os de Balaguer, and the cave art of the Vall de la Coma and the Balma dels Punts, both at L'Albi. Elements with very unique characteristics can also be seen at the Roc del Rumbau at Peramola or in the Abrics of La Granja d'Escarp, which were found as a result of mining prospecting. Other sites include the Abric de la Vall d'Ingla, at Bellver de Cerdanya; the Roques Guàrdies, at Les Borges Blanques; the Aparets, at Alòs de Balaguer; the Cova d'Antona, at Artesa de Segre; the Balma del Pantà and Cova del Tabac, at Camarasa; the Balma de les Ovelles, at Tremp, and the cave paintings of Alfés. All of these sites are top level, cultural heritage sites on a world scale that can be found in the comarques (local districts) of Lleida (Spain).

 

Information provided by:

Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya
 

 

The cova del Tabac

Contact information:

 

 

The cova del Tabac

Ajuntament de Camarasa - Plaça Major, 1
25613, Camarasa
Web: http://camarasa.ddl.net
Email: ajuntament@camarasa.ddl.net
973 42 00 09

 

Share:

 

Comparteix a facebook
Comparteix a Twitter
Compartir a Whatsapp
Envia a un amic
Imprimir

 

 

 



  • Unesco

     

    Where is it?
     
    La Cova del Tabac is located 5 kilometres from the village of Camarasa (La Noguera). It is on the right bank of the river Segre and 300 metres above the level of the river, at the very south of the Serra de Montroig.
     
    History and description
     
    The Cova del Tabac, which is a cave containing remains dating from the Bronze Age, is 15 metres wide, 20 metres high and 180 metres long. The cave opening is somewhat reminiscent of the entrance to a gothic style temple, as its structure contains forms similar to ogives. Inside the cave there is a second circular cavity that is referred to as the "Sagristia" (vestry). This is quite small: 4 metres wide and 3 metres high.The first mention of the Cova del Tabac was made by Zamora in the 18th century. Later, in 1880, it was referred to by the Lleida chronicler Pleyan de Porta, who referred to the fact that it had been inhabited by pre-historic man. In 1894, L. Mariano Vidal carried out excavation work at the site and found a number of remains. These data were later collected together by Ceferí Rocafort and studied and subsequently published by J. Serra i Ràfols. Some time later, the Centre Excursionista de Balaguer, and particularly J. Maluquer de Motes, scientifically studied these materials. Research was also carried out by J. de la Vega.
     
    The cave paintings
     
    L. Díez-Coronel discovered a series of schematic paintings in the Cova del Tabac in the 1950s. First he studied them and then five years later he presented his discovery at the 17th National Congress on Archaeology.In 1986 les, the paintings were exhaustively documented within the "Projecte Corpus de Pintures Rupestres de Catalunya" (Cave Paintings of Catalonia Corpus Project) that was undertaken by the Archaeological Service of the Departament de Cultura of the Generalitat de Catalunya.The paintings of the Cova del Tabac form part of the Cave Art of the Mediterranean Arc on the Iberian Peninsula, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. This recognition covered 757 different archaeological remains, with cave paintings located in six different autonomous communities: Catalonia, Andalusia, Murcia, Aragon, Castilla-la Mancha and Valencia.Twelve different figures have been identified that are characterised by anthropomorphic forms, star-shapes, quadrupeds, radiate rectangles, outlines and remains of pigment, schematic forms, simple outlining techniques and orangey-red and red colours.
     
    Information:
     
    Associació Cultural "Terres del Marquesat"
    e-mail: nfo@marquesat.net
    web: www.marquesat.net

    Fonts: Paquito Gessé i Josep Roqué