Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T04:57:34.075Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Cova Eirós: An Integrated Approach to Dating the Earliest Known Cave Art in NW Iberia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2017

Karen L Steelman ,
Arturo de Lombera-Hermida ,
Ramón Viñas-Vallverdú ,
Xosé Pedro Rodríguez-Álvarez ,
Fernando Carrera-Ramírez ,
Albert Rubio-Mora  and
Ramon Fábregas-Valcarce
Karen L Steelman*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR 72035USA Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center, Comstock, TX 78837USA
Arturo de Lombera-Hermida
Affiliation:
Grupo de Estudos para a Prehistoria do Noroeste (GEPN), Dpto Historia I, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Pz. Universidade nº1, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain IPHES, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, C/ Marcel.lí Domingo s/n- Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3) 43007 Tarragona, Spain Área de Prehistoria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002 Tarragona, Spain
Ramón Viñas-Vallverdú
Affiliation:
IPHES, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, C/ Marcel.lí Domingo s/n- Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3) 43007 Tarragona, Spain Área de Prehistoria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002 Tarragona, Spain
Xosé Pedro Rodríguez-Álvarez
Affiliation:
IPHES, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, C/ Marcel.lí Domingo s/n- Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3) 43007 Tarragona, Spain Área de Prehistoria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002 Tarragona, Spain
Fernando Carrera-Ramírez
Affiliation:
Escola Superior de Conservación e Restauración de Bens Culturais de Galicia, Rua Xeneral Martitegui s/n 36002 Pontevedra, Spain
Albert Rubio-Mora
Affiliation:
Seminari d´Estudis i Recerques Prehistòriques (SERP), Universitat de Barcelona, Dpto. de Prehistòria, Història Antiga i Arqueologia, Facultat de Geografia i Història, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
Ramon Fábregas-Valcarce
Affiliation:
Grupo de Estudos para a Prehistoria do Noroeste (GEPN), Dpto Historia I, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Pz. Universidade nº1, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

At Cova Eirós, we discovered 13 panels with paintings and engravings that stylistically point to the final moments of the Upper Paleolithic. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy were used to identify charcoal as black pigment. Although contamination from medieval fires inside the cave complicates the dating of these pictographs, analyses of unpainted rock backgrounds allowed calculation corrections for contaminated samples. We used plasma oxidation and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) to directly radiocarbon (14C) date two charcoal paintings—confirming that the images are more than 9000 yr old. As these paintings superimpose engravings, these 14C dates also provide a minimum age for an engraving at Cova Eirós that is stylistically Final Magdalenian/Epipaleolithic. This is the first known evidence of Paleolithic cave art in Galicia of NW Iberia.

Keywords

northwest Iberiaprehistoric rock artplasma oxidationAMS radiocarbon dating
Type
Research Article
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 59 , Issue 1 , February 2017 , pp. 151 - 164
Copyright
© 2017 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alcolea González, JJ, Balbín Berhmann, R. 2006. Arte Paleolítico al Aire Libre: El Yacimiento Rupestre de Siega Verde, Salamanca. Junta de Castilla y León.Google Scholar
Arias, P, Laval, E, Menu, M, González Sainz, C, Ontañón, R. 2011. Les colorants dans l’art pariétal et mobilier paléolithique de La Garma (Cantabrie, Espagne). L´Anthropologie 115:425–445.Google Scholar
Armitage, RA. 1998. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal-pigmented rock paintings. [PhD dissertation]. College Station (TX): Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University.Google Scholar
Armitage, RA, Brady, JE, Cobb, A, Southon, JR, Rowe, MW. 2001. Mass spectrometric radiocarbon dates from three rock paintings of known age. Antiquity 66:471–480.Google Scholar
Aubry, T, García Díez, M, Sampaio, J, Plisson, H, Chauvière, F-X, Tymula, S, Calame, A, Dechanez, I. 2009. Datação das gravuras do Vale do Côa, In Aubry T, editor. 200 séculos da história do Vale do Côa: incursões na vida quotidiana dos caçadores-artistas do Paleolítico. Lisboa: IGESPAR, IP. p 361–477.Google Scholar
Aubry, T, Sampaio, J. 2009. Chronologie et contexte archéologique des gravures paléolithiques de plein air de la Vellée du Côa (Portugal). In: Balbín Berhmann R, editor. Arte prehistórico al aire libre en el sur de Europa. Valladolid: Junta de Castilla y León, Consejería de Cultura y Turismo. p 211–223.Google Scholar
Baker, SM, Armitage, RA. 2013. Cueva La Conga: First Karst Cave Archaeology in Nicaragua. Latin American Antiquity 24:309–329.Google Scholar
Baptista, AM, Reis, M. 2009. Prospecção da arte rupestre no Vale do Côa e Alto Douro portugés: ponto da situação em julho de 2006. In: Balbín Berhmann R, editor. Arte prehistórico al aire libre en el sur de Europa. Valladolid: Junta de Castilla y León, Consejería de Cultura y Turismo, Valladolid. p 145–192.Google Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C. 2009. Bayesian analysis of radiocarbon dates. Radiocarbon 51(1):337–360.Google Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C. 2014. OxCal version 4.2.4. http://c14.arch.ox.ac.uk (accessed April 23, 2014).Google Scholar
Bueno Ramírez, P, de Balbín Behrmann, R, Alcolea González, JJ. 2007. Style V Dans Le Bassin Du Douro Tradition Et Changement Dans Les Graphies Des Chasseurs Du Paléolithique Supérieur Européen. L´Anthropologie 111:549–589.Google Scholar
Bueno Ramirez, P, Balbín Berhmann, R, Alcolea González, JJ. 2009. Estilo V en el ámbito del Duero: Cazadores finiglaciares en Siega Verde (Salamanca). In: Balbín Berhmann R, editor. Arte Prehistórico al aire libre en el Sur de Europa. Valladolid: Junta de Castilla y León. Consejería de Cultura y Turismo. p 259–286.Google Scholar
Clottes, J, Menu, M, Walter, P. 1990. La préparation des peintures magdaléniennes des cavernes ariégeoises. Bulletin de la Société Préhistorique Française 87:170–192.Google Scholar
Collado Giraldo, H, García Arranz, JJ. 2010. 10.000 años de arte rupestre. El ciclo pre-esquemático de la Península Ibérica y su reflejo en Extremadura (España)”. In: Global Rock Art. Anais do Congresso Internacional de Arte Rupestre IFRAO, Fundhamentos IX). Sao Raimundo Nonato, Brasil: Fundaçao Museu do Homen Americano. p 1167–1192.Google Scholar
Corchón, MS, Valladas, H, Bécares, J, Arnold, M, Tisnerat, N, Cachier, H. 1996. Datación de las pinturas y revisión del arte paleolítico de Cueva Palomera (Ojo Guareña, Burgos, España). Zephyrus 49:37–60.Google Scholar
Díaz, Y. 1993. El arte rupestre esquemático en Cantabria. Santander: Universidad de Cantabria.Google Scholar
Fábregas Valcarce, R, de Lombera Hermida, A. 2010. El Paleolítico superior en Galicia a la luz de las últimas investigaciones. In: Mangado X, editor. Paleolítico superior peninsular. Novedades del siglo XXI. Homenaje al Profesor Javier Fortea, Monografies SERP, 8. Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona. p 255–270.Google Scholar
Fábregas Valcarce, R, de Lombera Hermida, A, Serna González, MR, Vaquero Rodríguez, M, Pérez Rama, M, Grandal D´Anglade, A, Rodríguez Álvarez, XP, Alonso Fernández, S, Ameijenda Iglesias, A. 2012. Ocupacións prehistóricas e históricas nas cavidades das Serras Orientais galegas. As covas de Eirós (Triacastela) e Valdavara (Becerreá). Gallaecia 31:19–46.Google Scholar
Fábregas Valcarce, R, de Lombera-Hermida, A, Viñas Vallverdú, R, Rodríguez Álvarez, XP, Soares Figueiredo, S. 2015. Throwing light on the hidden corners. New data on Palaeolithic art from NW Iberia. In: Bueno-Ramírez P, Bahn P, editors. Prehistoric Art as Prehistoric Culture. Studies in Honour of Professor Rodrigo de Balbín-Behrmann. Oxford: Archaeopress. p 171–181.Google Scholar
Gárate, D, Ruiz-Redondo, A, Rivero, O, Rios-Garaizar, J. 2014. El Arte Parietal En El Golfo De Bizkaia: Nuevos Descubrimientos, Nuevas Interpretaciones. In: Medina-Alcaide MªA, Romero Alonso AJ, Ruiz-Márquez RM, Sanchidrián JL, Sobre Rocas Y Huesos: Las Sociedades Prehistóricas Y Sus Manifestaciones Rupestres. p 26–39.Google Scholar
García Díez, M. 2013. La expresión gráfica en La Peña de Estebanvela (Segovia) en el contexto de los últimos grupos de cazadores-recolectores europeos. In: Cacho C, editor. Ocupaciones magdalenienses en el interior de la Península Ibérica. La Peña de Estebanvela (Ayllón, Segovia). Junta de Castilla y León: CSIC. p 472–515.Google Scholar
García Díez, M, Aubry, T. 2002. Grafismo mueble en el Valle del Côa (Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Portugal): La estación arqueológica de Fariseu. Zephyrus 55:157–182.Google Scholar
García Díez, M, González Morales, I. 2003. En torno al llamado «arte Esquemático-abstracto»: A propósito de unas fechas de Covalanas (Ramales de la Victoria, Cantabria). Veleia 20:227–241.Google Scholar
Hernanz, A, Ruiz-López, JF, Gavira-Vallejo, JM, Martin, S, Gavrilenko, E. 2010. Raman microscopy of prehistoric rock paintings from the Hoz de Vicente, Minglanilla, Cuenca, Spain. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 41:1394–1399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hedges, REM, Bronk Ramsey, C, van Klinken, GJ, Pettitt, PB, Nielsen-March, C, Etchegoyen, A, Fernandez Niello, JO, Boschin, MT, Llamazares, AM. 1998. Methodological issues in the 14C dating of rock paintings. Radiocarbon 40(1):35–44.Google Scholar
Ilger, WA, Dauvois, M, Hyman, M, Menu, M, Rowe, MW, Vézian, J, Walter, P. 1995. Datation Radiocarbone de Deux Figures Pariétales de la Grotte du Portel (Commune de Loubens, Ariège). Bulletin de la Societé Préhistorique de L’Ariège XLIX:231–236.Google Scholar
de Lombera, Hermida A. 2011. Caves and people. Archaeological research at the eastern margins of NW Iberia. In: de Lombera Hermida A, Fábregas Valcarce R, editors. To the West of Spanish Cantabria: The Palaeolithic Settlement of Galicia, BAR 2283. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. p 111–22.Google Scholar
de Lombera-Hermida, A, Fábregas Valcarce, R. editors. 2013. Cova Eirós. Primeras evidencias de arte rupestre Paleolítico en el Noroeste Peninsular. Santiago de Compostela: Andavira Editora SL.Google Scholar
McDonald, J, Steelman, KL, Veth, P, Mackey, J, Loewen, J, Thurber, CR, Guilderson, TP. 2014. Results from the first intensive dating program for pigment art in the Australian arid zone: insights into recent social complexity. Journal of Archaeological Science 46:195–204.Google Scholar
Mercier, N, Valladas, H, Aubry, T, Zilhão, J, Joron, J-L, Reyss, J-L, Sellami, F. 2006. Fariseu: first confirmed open-air Palaeolithic parietal art site in the Côa Valley (Portugal). Antiquity Project Gallery 80, 310 (http://www.antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/mercier/index) (accessed November 11, 2016).Google Scholar
Montes Barquín, R, Muñoz Fernández, E, Morlote Expósito, JM. 2005. Hallazgos recientes de arte rupestre paleolítico en la región cantábrica. Los casos de Cantabria. In: Lasheras Corruchaga JA, González Echegaray J, editors. El significado del arte paleolítico. Madrid: Ministerio de Cultura. p 77–108.Google Scholar
Olivares, M, Murelaga, X, Castro, K, Garate, D, Hernando, C, Corchón, S. 2009. Análisis no destructivo de la materia colorante mediante instrumentación Raman portátil en el arte parietal de la cueva de La Peña (Candamo, Asturias). Excavaciones Arqueológicas en Asturias 2003-2006:187–192.Google Scholar
Pace, MFN, Hyman, M, Rowe, MW, Southon, JR. 2000. Chemical pretreatment on plasma-chemical extraction for 14C dating of Pecos River genre rock paintings. American Indian Rock Art 24:95–102.Google Scholar
Quiles, A, Valladas, H, Geneste, J-M, Clottes, J, Baffier, D, Berthier, B, Brock, F, Bronk Ramsey, C, Delque-Količ, E, Dumoulin, J-P, Hajdas, I, Hippe, K, Hodgins, GWL, Hogg, A, Jull, AJT, Kaltnecker, E, de Martino, M, Oberlin, C, Petchey, F, Steier, P, Synal, H-A, Van der Plicht, J, Wild, EM, Zazzo, A. 2014. Second Radiocarbon Intercomparison Program for the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc Cave, Ardèche, France. Radiocarbon 56(2):813–850.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reimer, PJ, Bard, E, Bayliss, A, Beck, JW, Blackwell, PG, Bronk Ramsey, C, Grootes, PM, Guilderson, TP, Haflidason, H, Hajdas, I, Hatte, C, Heaton, TJ, Hoffmann, DL, Hogg, AG, Hughen, KA, Kaiser, KF, Kromer, B, Manning, SW, Niu, M, Reimer, RW, Richards, DA, Scott, EM, Southon, JR, Staff, RA, Turney, CSM, van der Plicht, J. 2013. IntCal13 and Marine13 Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curves 0-50,000 Years cal BP. Radiocarbon 55(4):1869–1887.Google Scholar
Rey-Rodríguez, I, López-García, J-M, Bennàsar, M, Bañuls-Cardona, S, Blain, H-A, Blanco-Lapaz, Á, Rodríguez-Álvarez, X-P, de Lombera-Hermida, A, Díaz-Rodríguez, M, Ameijenda-Iglesias, A, Agustí, J, Fábregas-Valcarce, R. 2016. Last Neanderthals and first Anatomically Modern Humans in the NW Iberian Peninsula: climatic and environmental conditions inferred from the Cova Eirós small-vertebrate assemblage during MIS 3. Quaternary Science Reviews 151:185–197.Google Scholar
Rodríguez Álvarez, XP, De Lombera Hermida, A, Fábregas Valcarce, R, Lazuén Fernández, T. 2011. The Upper Pleistocene site of Cova Eirós (Triacastela, Lugo, Spain). In: de Lombera Hermida A, Fábregas Valcarce R, editors. To the West of Spanish Cantabria: The Palaeolithic Settlement of Galicia. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports, Archaeopress. p 123–33.Google Scholar
Rowe, MW. 2001. Dating by AMS radiocarbon analysis. In: Whitley DS, editor. Handbook of Rock Art Research. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press. p 139–166.Google Scholar
Rowe, MW. 2009. Radiocarbon dating of ancient rock paintings. Analytical Chemistry 81:1728–1735.Google Scholar
Russ, J, Hyman, M, Rowe, MW. 1992. Direct radiocarbon dating of rock art. Radiocarbon 34(3):867–872.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Russ, J, Hyman, M, Shafer, HJ, Rowe, MW. 1990. Radiocarbon dating of prehistoric rock paintings by selective oxidation of organic carbon. Nature 348:710–711.Google Scholar
Sanches, MJ, Teixeira, J. 2014. O Abrigo do Passadeiro, Palaçoulo (Miranda do Douro). Um caso de estudo de gravuras rupestres dos inícios do Holocénico no Nordeste de Portugal. Portvgalia. Nova Serie 35:61–75.Google Scholar
Smith, DC, Bouchard, M, Lorblanchet, M. 1999. An initial Raman microscopic investigation of prehistoric rock art in caves of the Quercy district, SW France. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 30:347–354.Google Scholar
Steelman, KL, Rickman, R, Rowe, MW, Boutton, TW, Russ, J, Guidon, N. 2002. AMS radiocarbon ages of an oxalate accretion and rock paintings at Toca do Serrrote da Bastiana, Brazil. In: Jakes K, editor. Archaeological Chemistry: Materials, Methods, and Meaning. Washington DC: ACS Symposium Series. p 22–35.Google Scholar
Steelman, KL, Carrera-Ramírez, F, Fábregas-Valcarce, R, Guilderson, TP, Rowe, MW. 2005. Direct radiocarbon dating of megalithic paints from north-west Iberia. Antiquity 79:379–389.Google Scholar
Steelman, KL, Rowe, MW. 2012. Radiocarbon dating of rock paintings: incorporating pictographs into the archaeological record. In: McDonald J, Veth P, editors. A Companion to Rock Art (Blackwell Companions to Anthropology series). Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. p 565–582.Google Scholar
Teira Brión, A, Martín Seijo, M, de Lombera Hermida, A, Fábregas Valcarce, R, Rodríguez Álvarez, XP. 2012. Forest resources management during Roman and Medieval cave occupations in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula: Cova do Xato and Cova Eirós (Galicia, Spain). Wood and charcoal. Evidence for human and natural history. Sagvntvm extra 13:159–166.Google Scholar
Tomasini, E, Siracusano, G, Maier, MS. 2012. Spectroscopic, morphological and chemical characterization of historic pigments based on carbon. Paths for the identification of an artistic pigment. Microchemical Journal 102:28–37.Google Scholar
Viñas, R, Rubio, A, Ruiz, JF. 2010. La técnica paleolítica del trazo fino y estriado entre los orígenes del estilo levantino de la Península Ibérica. In: Clottes J, editor. Evidencias para una reflexión. Tarascon-sur-Ariège. Foix: IFRAO Congreso Mundial de Arte Pleistoceno.Google Scholar
Viñas Vallverdú, R, de Lombera Hermida, A, Rubio Mora, A, Cortón, N, López, A, Carrera Ramírez, F, Rivas Brea, T, Rodríguez Álvarez, XP, López De Silanes, E. 2013. Manifestaciones rupestres. In: de Lombera Hermida A, Fábregas Valcarce R, editors. Cova Eirós. Primeras evidencias de arte rupestre Paleolítico en el Noroeste Peninsular. Santiago de Compostela: Andavira Editora SL. p 34–64.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: Image

Steelman supplementary material

Figure Image 1

Download Steelman supplementary material(Image)
Image 36.6 MB
Supplementary material: Image

Steelman supplementary material

Figure Image 2

Download Steelman supplementary material(Image)
Image 36.6 MB
Supplementary material: Image

Steelman supplementary material

Figure Image 3

Download Steelman supplementary material(Image)
Image 2.5 MB
Supplementary material: Image

Steelman supplementary material

Figure Image 4

Download Steelman supplementary material(Image)
Image 2 MB