29 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Newly Discovered 200,000-Year-Old Rock Carvings in Marbella: Potentially Among Europe’s Oldest Cave Art

Marbella has just made an incredible discovery that could change everything we thought we knew about prehistoric Europe. Archaeologists working in the Las Chapas area have found a stone at the Coto Correa site, which is protected and has been recognized for its historical significance since the 1950s. This stone features carvings that might be over 200,000 years old! If this is confirmed, it would make these markings some of the oldest human-made art in Europe, predating Spain’s earliest known cave art by a staggering 100,000 years.

The Marbella cave, known as the Coto Correa site, is located in the Las Chapas area of Marbella, in the province of Málaga, Spain. This site has been recognized for its archaeological significance and is situated near the Mediterranean coast, making it an important location for understanding prehistoric human activity in the region.

The excitement kicked off during a recent archaeological survey at Coto Correa, where previous digs had already uncovered ancient stone tools used by Marbella’s earliest inhabitants. But this latest find takes things to a whole new level. The star of the show is a piece of gabbro, a dark, coarse rock, adorned with a series of engraved lines.

Experts believe these markings could represent one of the earliest forms of symbolic expression, possibly the oldest graphic representations ever found on the Iberian Peninsula.

If ongoing studies confirm the age of these engravings, they could completely reshape our understanding of when and how early humans began to express themselves artistically. While Spain is home to other significant prehistoric art sites, like the famous painted caves in Cantabria, the age of these Marbella carvings sets them apart and raises intriguing questions about the cognitive and creative abilities of early humans, including Neanderthals or their ancestors.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



Detail of the engravings. Credit: Ayuntamiento de Marbella (Marbella Town Council)
Detail of the engravings. Credit: Ayuntamiento de Marbella (Marbella Town Council)

To determine the exact age of the carvings, researchers are employing advanced geoarchaeological techniques. They’re analyzing quartz in the surrounding sediments to create a clear timeline, while cutting-edge 3D digital mapping helps distinguish between natural wear, tool marks, and intentional engravings.

This digital documentation will not only assist scholars in verifying the origins of the markings but will also serve as a valuable resource for museums, allowing experts, students, and curious visitors to explore this remarkable find for years to come.

Local authorities have set aside €8,000 to support this vital research—a modest investment that could redefine not just Marbella’s history, but our broader understanding of human evolution and creativity. Once the results are in, the cultural department plans to share this scientific milestone through public events and exhibitions, ensuring that everyone can catch a glimpse of Marbella’s newly uncovered ancient past.

Could Marbella soon be known for more than just its luxury lifestyle? This potential breakthrough in Paleolithic research might just give the town a new kind of prestige—one that stretches back hundreds of thousands of years.

Marbella Town Council

Cover Image Credit: 200,000-year-old rock carvings found in Marbella. Some of the oldest known human-made carvings in Europe. Credit: Ayuntamiento de Marbella (Marbella Town Council)

Related Articles

Possible Location of Medieval Knight Zbylut’s Manor Identified Alongside Discovery of Unknown Burial Crypts

26 April 2025

26 April 2025

In a remarkable archaeological find, researchers have uncovered previously unknown burial crypts within the Gothic Church of St. James the...

In the excavations at Tepecik Mound in Aydın, Türkiye, a palace-like structure dating back to the 13th century BCE was discovered

13 August 2023

13 August 2023

Excavations at Tepecik Mound in the Çine district of Aydın province, located in the western part of Turkey, revealed a...

1100-Year-Old Rare Sealed Amphora Discovered on Shipwreck off Türkiye Coast

27 April 2025

27 April 2025

Underwater excavations near Kaş, Antalya, on Turkey’s southwestern coast, have yielded fascinating insights into ancient Mediterranean seafaring and trade. A...

2000-year-old dagger reveals the site of a long-forgotten battle between the Roman Empire and tribal warriors

16 December 2023

16 December 2023

In Switzerland, a volunteer archaeologist and dental student Lucas Schmid discovered in 2019 a 2000-year-old silver and brass dagger. It...

First Human Figurine of the Mesolithic Era (Circa 9000 Years Old) Discovered in Azerbaijan’s Damjili Cave

19 April 2025

19 April 2025

A groundbreaking discovery has been made in the Damjili Cave in Azerbaijan’s Gazakh district: the first human figurine from the...

Unlucky medieval woman underwent at least two skull surgeries in Longobard Italy

14 February 2023

14 February 2023

A detailed examination of the skull of a woman who lived at the medieval settlement of Castel Trosino in central...

Saxon ‘London’ was Bigger Than Previously Believed

23 February 2024

23 February 2024

Archaeologists digging at the northern end of Trafalgar Square found evidence that Saxon London’s center was bigger and extended further...

The Lion of Venice was Made in China: : Isotopic Analyses and Stylistic Comparisons Prove it

16 September 2024

16 September 2024

Recent scientific studies have revealed that the famous bronze-winged lion above one of the two columns in Piazzetta San Marco,...

3500-year-old mysterious hieroglyphs discovered in Yerkapı Tunnel in Hattusa deciphered

12 October 2023

12 October 2023

Some of the Anatolian hieroglyphs discovered last year in the Yerkapı Tunnel in Hattusa, the former capital of the Hittite...

Intricate Design Revealed on 1100-Year-Old Gold-Inlaid Ritual Spear from Japan’s Island of the Gods

13 June 2025

13 June 2025

A recent archaeological breakthrough on Japan’s sacred Okinoshima Island has unveiled an ornately decorated iron spear from the late Kofun...

Gaza bulldozers unearth Roman-era a burial site

1 February 2022

1 February 2022

Bulldozers digging for an Egyptian-funded housing project in the Gaza Strip have unearthed the ruins of a tomb dating back...

Ancient Cretans ‘Killed’ Their Tombs in Symbolic Feasts 4,000 Years Ago

24 April 2025

24 April 2025

An international team of archaeologists has unveiled a remarkable ritual practiced by the ancient Cretans, revealing how they symbolically “killed”...

Rare 15th-Century Coin Hoard of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Unearthed in Smolensk: The ‘Dollar of the Middle Ages’ Found

2 October 2025

2 October 2025

Smolensk archaeologists uncover 48 medieval silver coins, including Prague groschen — widely known as the ‘Dollar of the Middle Ages’...

Amarna’s Hidden Chapter: From Abandoned Pharaoh’s City to Christian Monastic Hub

26 June 2025

26 June 2025

New archaeological findings have reshaped our understanding of Amarna, the once-glorious capital of ancient Egypt founded by Pharaoh Akhenaten in...

A Roman Votive Monument Discovered During Excavations at the Roman Open-Air Museum Hechingen-Stein

1 November 2024

1 November 2024

During recent excavations by the State Office for Monument Preservation (LAD) in the Stuttgart Regional Council and the Association for...