Marbella's Department of Culture has announced a discovery at the Coto Correa site in the Las Chapas area: carvings on a gabbro stone block that could revolutionize the understanding of prehistoric art on the Iberian Peninsula. Documentation work is set to commence, utilizing 3D scanning and digitization to create a high-resolution virtual composite of the markings.
A team of experts has identified the engravings on the stone block as possibly over 200,000 years old.
The discovery confirms the presence of humans in Marbella during the Early Middle Paleolithic period—a time scarcely documented in Spain and unprecedented in the province of Málaga. The finding could serve as a pivotal reference point for the migration and settlement of Paleolithic communities in Europe.
If the preliminary dating is confirmed, the carvings at Coto Correa could predate the oldest known cave art by 100,000 years, potentially dating back 200,000 years. This would position Marbella as a key site in Paleolithic studies.
Techniques applied for absolute dating consist of quartz analysis of different sediment samples, which will allow for a precise chronology of the samples and the archaeological context, according to La Razón.
The 3D digitization will generate a high-resolution virtual representation that will facilitate a detailed study of the stone's surface. This technology will allow for the identification of working marks and graphic elements, helping to distinguish between tool marks and intentional engravings.
The Coto Correa area has been recognized for housing the oldest remains of Marbella since the 1950s, when lithic tools dating back to the Lower Paleolithic period were discovered. The site has been a locus of archaeological protection, making it important to the scientific community.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
