In the hard-to-reach caves of the Valencia region in eastern Spain, researchers discovered prehistoric drawings using drones. Archaeologists from the University of Alicante date these rock paintings to roughly 5,000 to 7,500 years ago. Researchers hadn’t known they existed until now.
The university team uncovered the drawings in a quarry in the municipality of Penáguila just days after launching the drones. Thanks to the quadcopters, scientists could quickly survey hidden areas that would have required “complex access routes” to reach. The findings were published in the scientific journal Lucentum.
“This area is well-known for preserving samples of ancient art,” said lead author Francisco Javier Molina Hernández. He said the discovery of a new site with prehistoric rock paintings in a variety of styles is extremely significant.
After the drones identified samples of prehistoric art, climbers were brought in to examine the site. They confirmed a large number of diverse images. The mountaineers observed figures of people and animals, mostly goats and deer, some of which appeared to have been wounded by arrows, CNN reported.
The discovery of these new cave paintings suggests prehistoric people developed complex climbing techniques, possibly using ropes or wooden scaffolding.
Drones to the Rescue
So researchers turned to drones because archaeologists often risk their lives reaching those inaccessible sites. The caves where ancient people painted are in harsh terrain, Francisco Javier Molina Hernández said. He added that many other caves have never been surveyed because archaeologists find them extremely difficult to access.
Researchers call this one of the most significant Neolithic rock art finds in Valencia in recent decades.
Next, the team plans to use more powerful drones to capture higher-quality images. They also plan to expand their drone-assisted surveys to other parts of Europe where prehistoric rock art may still survive.
