Ancient Sketches from 200,000 Years Ago Unearthed in Spanish Cave

Archaeologists in Marbella, Spain, have uncovered astonishing sketches that might date back an incredible 200,000 years. The discovery, made during an excavation at the Coto Correa site in Las Chapas, has sent ripples of excitement through the historical and scientific community.

The Municipality of Marbella’s Department of Culture, Education, and Historical Heritage led the excavation, revealing a stone block etched with markings believed to be of human origin. According to their press release, this discovery is groundbreaking in two major ways. First, it confirms the presence of settlers in Marbella during the Early Middle Paleolithic—a period largely unexplored in Spain and unprecedented in Malaga province. Second, the stone’s graphic representations could predate known cave art by a staggering 100,000 years.

"The techniques applied for absolute dating consist of quartz analysis of different sediment samples, which will allow for a precise chronology of the samples," the Department explained. In other words, the scientists are pulling out all the stops to make sure these etchings are as old as they seem. And if that’s not enough, advanced 3D scanning will be used to examine the markings more closely, possibly uncovering even more about their mysterious creators.

The Coto Correa site has long been known for housing the oldest remains in Marbella, but this discovery elevates its significance to a whole new level. The Department of Culture is currently conducting detailed studies to confirm both the stone’s age and its origin.

While the findings are still being verified, one thing is clear: these sketches are rewriting our understanding of early human activity in Spain. Imagine—artistic expression before cave art was even a thing! If these results hold up, it’s going to be a major win for the history books.