Rock Art Research

This article suggests that six complex and enigmatic Palaeolithic drawings in the Spanish caves of Estrellas, Palomas, La Pileta and Altamira could be interpreted as pre-Historic maps. The hypothesis is based on the similarities and correlations between each of the drawings, the corresponding modern maps, and the caves’ immediate geographical surroundings from a visual and mathematical standpoint. Some reflect the cave’s interiors, while others depict the surrounding territory, and each potential map is supported by at least two drawings, either complementary or sequential. The decoding of at least three Palaeolithic maps suggests that a new approach to interpreting some of the rock art ‘signs’ and the abstract capabilities of Palaeolithic humans should be considered.