This is an area known and frequented by trekkers and adventure lovers, which also offers a fascinating cultural past: cave paintings made by our prehistoric ancestors that are designated UNESCO World Heritage sites.
At each of the stops on this trip, there is a hidden treasure. To locate it, we provide you with coordinates and a series of clues. We recommend that you download the free application available from https://www.geocaching.com/play There you find all our geo-located treasures and clues.
Mysteries of Prehistory
1 - 2 days
Medium - Hight
7
Alerts
– Necesario vehículo.
– Necesario llevar el móvil en todo momento.
– Recomendado descargar App de Geocaching (Google Maps podría ser una alternativa suficiente).
– Recomendado descargar el PDF de la ruta (disponible en «link a la ruta») por si nos encontramos en algún lugar sin cobertura poder seguir teniendo la información de la ruta.
– Se recorren unos kms en pista sin alfaltar pero en buen estado.
– Necesario andar por senderos (recomendamos informarse bien antes de iniciarla).
Treasure location
42°10’21.9″N 0°04’00.0″E
Clue:
Find small embrasures or slots COLUNGO: ROCK ART CENTER
The best way to start the journey through Prehistory is to visit the Rock Art Center, as it will open the door to this mysterious and ancient world. From here, guided visits to the shelters with cave paintings at Arpan, Mallata, Barfaluy and Lecina Superior.
Mallata and Barfaluy are caves with schematic rock art; that is, the figures are represented with basic markings, in a very linear way. The chronology of this style includes the Neolithic, the Bronze Age and some samples from the Iron Age.
However, at Arpan, there are paintings that also correspond to the Levantine style of rock art. It is characterized by the representation of dynamic scenes where one or several figures perform an action: hunting, ritual dances, battles or daily life.
Treasure location
42°12’56.7″N 0°01’47.0″E
Clue:
On top of the Arnales. ROCK SHELTER OF BARFALUY
In the shelters of Barfaluy 1, 2 and 3, we find different figures with human form, animals, group scenes and goats. In Barfaluy 1 and 2 they used red pigment, while in Barfaluy 3 they used black. The red pigment was obtained by crushing ochre and mixing it with water and a binder.
Treasure location
N 42º 12.634″ E 000º 02.285″
Clue:
To access the treasure, you can park your vehicle in a car park called Barranco Portiacha (42.2155207.0.0374946), very close to the lookout point. TOZAL DE MALLATA. MALLATA CAVES
The Tozal de Mallata is a great precipice – a cliff hundreds of metres high. Its inaccessibility kept the paintings hidden until a few years ago. In these caves you can see several scenes painted in red pigment. Animals and anthropomorphic figures share the action, possibly part of a ritual. These paintings were made by human groups of farmers and herders in the Neolithic and the Bronze Ages. The images indicate that possibly the surroundings of the Vero were a place of worship, a primitive temple where, perhaps, magic was invoked.
Treasure location
42°11’53.9″N 0°02’19.2″E
Clue:
At the foot of the red closure. CAVE PAINTINGS OF ARPÁN
Here some of the figures are different from those we saw in Barfaluy and Mallata. That is because here there are Levantine-style paintings. Animals and anthropomorphic beings are no longer so schematic or so basic, and they have more realistic proportions.
This cave shelter is around six meters deep. The ochre paintings are distributed in four panels and are typical of the Mediterranean area of the Iberian Peninsula – Levantine Art.
Near this rock shelter are those of Fuente del Trucho, Chimiachas and Regacens, which are not visitable, although they have access roads that are highly recommended.
Treasure location
42°13’00.1″N 0°02’00.3″E
Clue:
At the end of the ladder ROCK SHELTER OF UPPER LECINA
The Upper Lecina shelter is suspended on a cliff. It is located 740 meters above ground level. But how did the dwellers get there? Do not tax your brain – we can get there by following a path from Lecina. It is a hiking route.
In this shelter, you can see paintings of the schematic style in red and black. You will see a scene of men hunting animals. At the Interpretation Center of Colungo, you can organize a guided tour of these paintings.
Related routes
Sos the walled town; the inaccessible town. A medieval beauty that retains its original layout and its defensive function. If you need peace, Sos is your kind of place.
7545
Low
Prepirineo Clandestino
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