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Listed a collective World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Rock art of the Iberian Mediterranean Basin is an artistic treasure that has survived the passing of the centuries, conserved in shelters that act as outdoor museums. Discover the wealth of this heritage and start planning a getaway in the midst of nature.
What is rock art?
The rock art in the Region of Valencia comprises paintings, engravings and drawings created by post palaeolithic prehistoric societies on the walls of grottoes, caves and rock shelters. The art takes the form of geometric and schematic shapes and figures such as people and animals, as well as everyday scenes, such as honey collection.
Rock art in the Region of Valencia
About 600 pieces of rock art have been found in the Region of Valencia. Of these, 351 are protected by UNESCO. The latter are concentrated in the Els Ports and Alt Maestrat areas in the province of Castellón, Macizo del Caroig in the province of Valencia and in the valleys of La Marina and the Alcoy area in the province of Alicante.
If you’re keen to hunt out some rock art in the province of Castellón, Tírig is the perfect place to find artwork created by our ancestors thanks to the excellent work carried out by Museu de la Valltorta.
From the museum, you can walk trails (of different levels of difficulty) to visit the work on the walls of Cova de Cavalls and Cova del Mas d’en Josep. These caves are located in Tírig, but the museum also manages sites in other destinations, namely Coves de Vinromà, Albocàsser and Ares del Maestrat. You’ll also want to visit the paintings at Morella la Vella.
In the province of Valencia, you can see rock art on display at Ecomuseo de Bicorp. Using this as your base, you can visit the magnificent Cueva de la Araña and Barranco Moreno during your hikes into the surrounding area, which is defined by its sharp and abrupt landscapes.
Your exploration of the rock art in the province of Alicante will lead you to Alcoy, where you can walk along the Via Verde in the direction of La Sarga, an archaeological site that sits in geologically interesting surrounds. And to conclude this brief look at the rock art of the Iberian Mediterranean Basin in the Region of Valencia, we’re going to head to Pla de Petracos in Castell de Castells, where you will be transported back to the Neolithic.
If you’d like to find out more about these incredible heritage sites, we’d also recommend visiting Museo de Bellas Artes in Castelló de la Plana, Museu de Prehistòria in València and MARQ in Alicante. Get ready to travel back centuries and centuries in time.
