Solving a Riddle About the Dawn of Art

1/3. Figures of horses in the Atxurra cave system in Spain astounded archaeologist Diego Garate, who shines his headlamp on this previously unknown panel of artwork. Diego Garate

 
New tools, partnerships, and investigations into a regional “hole in the map” are helping to fill in the picture of Paleolithic art in Spain's Basque Country.

Diego Garate. On a Friday afternoon in September 2015, speleologist Iñaki Intxaurbe and I ventured into the heart of the Atxurra cave system in Spain’s Basque Country. Archaeologists had known about this labyrinthine underworld for over 80 years, but some of its caves still had surprises in store. After dragging ourselves through narrow corridors, called galleries, we finally arrived at a more comfortable place. We immediately noticed chambers near the ceiling and started climbing so we could look inside. Within minutes, I heard Intxaurbe shouting. I thought he was in danger, perhaps about to fall. But he was staring at the walls: “There is something engraved here!” When we inspected what he found, we were amazed to see the outlines of several bison figures. [...] SAPIENS


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