<< Our Photo Pages >> Côa Valley - Rock Art in Portugal in Guarda
Submitted by DrewParsons on Wednesday, 16 November 2011 Page Views: 10341
Rock ArtSite Name: Côa Valley Alternative Name: Parque Arqueológico do Vale do CôaCountry: Portugal Distrito: Guarda Type: Rock Art
Nearest Town: Vila Nova de Foz Côa
Latitude: 41.083000N Longitude: 7.14W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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External Links:
I have visited· I would like to visit
rrmoser visited on 15th Jun 2018 - their rating: Amb: 5
DrewParsons have visited here
At the time of writing (April 2010) there are four sites that can be visited out of the 16 sites so far discovered. These are: Penascosa, Ribeira de Piscos, Canada do Inferno, and Fariseu. There are different departure points for each of these sites and it is usually necessary to book a place some time ahead of your visit by phone, fax, email or letter. The contact details are:
Parque Arqueológico do Vale do Côa,
Rua do Museu, 5150-610
Vila Nova de Foz Côa,
Portugal.
Tel: +351 279 768 260
Fax: +351 279 768 270
Email: visitas.pavc@igespar.pt
http://www.arte-coa.pt
http://www.ipa.min-cultura.pt/coa
The valley contains around 1000 engravings, a few of which have traces of red tinting on them still. The art mostly comprises animals cut into the rock surfaces reflecting the wildlife which inhabited the area at the time that humans used the valley as a sanctuary during the last ice age. Aurochs, goats, horse and fish are seen, and there is one faint carving of a man which is very unusual in prehistoric art. There are no mammoths carved as the valley was too warm for them to live there.
Dating of the carvings has been difficult although comparisons with styles seen in datable portable and parietal art in Iberia and France is the method used. Accordingly the carvings are thought to belong to two eras, one 25000 before present and the more recent a mere 10000 years before present. Three techniques were used, fine line incision, pecking and abrasion. All three styles can be seen on visits which are made in small groups accompanied by professional guides who point out the various engravings and ensure visitors respect the site too.
I was lucky enough to have a special private tour of the Ribeira de Piscos site with two professors of archaeology from Vitoria University and got to see lots of art not normally accessible to the public. My photos are marked showing which of the four sites they were taken at. For some engravings you need to peer closely to identify the carvings whilst others are very clear. There are carvings made in recent centuries too and these too are protected as part of the overall history of the valley.
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Nearby sites
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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
2.3km E 98° Parque Arqueologico do Côa Museum* Museum
2.5km E 96° Vila Nova de Foz Côa* Rock Art
3.9km SE 144° Gravuras de Rego da Vide* Rock Art
4.6km WSW 255° Castelo Velho de Freixo de Numão* Henge
8.8km W 260° Prazo Menhir* Standing Stone (Menhir)
8.8km W 259° Estação Arqueológica do Prazo* Ancient Village or Settlement
8.9km SSE 161° Gravuras de Penascosa* Rock Art
9.2km SSE 161° Núcleo de Gravuras da Penascosa* Rock Art
13.5km NNW 342° Anta de Vilarinho da Castanheira* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
14.9km NNE 30° Cabeço de Alfarela Castro or Chafurdão
22.5km NNE 19° Povoado de Baldoeiro Castro or Chafurdão
24.0km SW 227° Lameira da Cima 2* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
24.0km SW 227° Lameira de Cima 1* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
24.4km WSW 255° Sepultura antropomórfica de Cômbaros Rock Cut Tomb
24.4km WSW 240° Menir de Penedono* Standing Stone (Menhir)
24.5km WSW 254° Sepulturas antropomórficas de Fonte Fria Rock Cut Tomb
25.0km NNW 329° Anta de Zedes* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
25.2km ESE 115° Pena Redonda Castro or Chafurdão
25.5km WSW 258° Anta do Turgal* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
25.5km WSW 254° Sepulturas antropomórficas da Vale de Perdieiros* Rock Cut Tomb
26.0km SW 231° Sepulturas antropomórficas de Antas* Rock Cut Tomb
26.1km WSW 255° Dolmen do Carvalhal* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
26.1km WSW 255° Monte Penedono Dolmen* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
26.1km SW 234° Rotunda das Antas* Modern Stone Circle etc
26.2km WSW 254° Dólmens de Lapinhas* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
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