Where are the oldest known cave paintings found?
Quick Answer
Some of the oldest known cave paintings are in the El Castillo cave in Cantabria, Spain. One famous red hand stencil there is dated to at least 40,000 years ago.
The Full Story
El Castillo cave in northern Spain contains some of the oldest known figurative and symbolic cave art in Europe. A famous red disk and hand stencil in the cave have been dated to at least about 40,800 years ago, using uranium-thorium dating of calcite layers. The cave is part of the Paleolithic art tradition of northern Iberia, which also includes sites like Altamira. These paintings help archaeologists study the early spread of symbolic behavior among modern humans in Europe. The cave is recognized as part of the UNESCO-listed Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain.
Key Facts
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"The 40,000-year-old handprint that still survived"