There is a huge amount of prehistoric art in Portugal, including carved or engraved rocks (Portuguese: gravuras rupestres) as well as paintings (pinturas rupestres). Sometimes these are in caves or inside megalithic structures, other times they are in the open air. In addition, there are smaller portable engraved or painted stones which are displayed in museums around the country. The most famous prehistoric art site is the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Côa Valley, with open-air rock engravings dating back over 20 thousand years ago. The cave of Escoural has painted artwork that goes back to the Paleolithic period, some of the oldest in Europe. The famous painted dolmen of Antelas is the most impressive example of painting within a megalithic tomb.
Use the map in the sidebar to browse or search among the various prehistoric sites. (The “Filters” control in the top right corner allows you to select types of sites.) Highlighted map markers indicate sites that are described on this website. Below is a list of all the art sites on our website (so far!).
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Lajedo
A group of stones in the forest show cup (or “cupule”) marks (the Portuguese term is covinhas, which translates as “dimples”). These are a distinctive prehistoric decoration technique. The carvings are seen on several stones: some are connected by grooves, and others form distinctive alignments or sets. The carvings have been investigated by archaeologists, but…
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Rock Paintings of Vale de Junco (or Abrigo dos Gaivões)
Protected by the overhanging rock, the red stains stand out. Even after five thousand years, the shapes and designs can still be made out. What their significance is, we can only guess. Some depict people, others animals, while others are abstract symbols. One panel shows groups of lines: were these ancient people keeping count of…