April 2016
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220 Reads
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4 Citations
The construction of a major dam in the Trás-os-Montes region of Northeast Portugal, has led to an unprecedented archaeological survey that included a specific study of rock art over an area of 3000 hectares. Over the past four years, the implementation and development of this study revealed that the number of rock art sites is much higher than initially expected. In addition, the quality and the chronologies of the findings are exceptional, not only in a regional context but on a peninsular and European scales. The present paper seeks to explore a specific geographical area within the Sabor Valley, where we found the highest concentration of rock art sites, with chronologies ranging between the Upper Palaeolithic to the Contemporary Period. However, this paper will only focus on the rock art produced between the Upper Palaeolithic and the Iron Age. From the Palaeolithic era, we will look at the Foz do Medal terrace and its collection of exceptional portable art with over 1500 engraved fragments. Regarding rock art from the transition of the Holocene and post- Palaeolithic period, we will focus our attention on three main sites containing original depictions of caprids and cervids. Finally, we will look at Iron Age plaques uncovered in the Crestelos site. We would like to stress the fact that all mentioned sites are located within an area of less than 2 kilometers. Due to the concentrated materiality in a very restricted area, our aim is to approach different continuities and discontinuities in terms of rock art archaeological records. Were the same animals depicted in the Upper Palaeolithic as in the post-Palaeolithic periods? Why do we find mobile supports both in the Palaeolithic and Iron Age periods and none in the time in between? These are some of the questions that will be addressing.