Emotions at the surface

A groundbreaking discovery in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde reveals that emotional expressions in Paleolithic art played a significant symbolic role, challenging traditional paradigms. The study identifies explicit emotional aspects in rock art figures from the Magdalenian period at Ribeira de Piscos, the largest and most prominent site in the region. This 20,000-year continuous Paleolithic diachrony, spanning from the Gravettian to the Late Glacial, updates the understanding of European Paleolithic art by shifting focus from cave art to open-air rock art. The research suggests that these emotional depictions were crucial in establishing and evolving the site's significance during the Magdalenian period.

Reis, M. (2022). Emotions at the surface. Adoranten, 52, 5–40. https://doi.org/10.65611/ador.v52i.66085