Times of Execution, Transit and Use of the Palaeolithic Rock Art of the Cave of Altamira (Cantabria, Spain): A Case Study

Abstract

The article presents new archaeological data from the Cave of Altamira from two different perspectives: first, it summarizes the results of a comprehensive study of the rock art of a topographic area of the cave; second, it analyses archaeological evidence spatially linked to the studied Palaeolithic imageries. By contrasting the results of the AMS dating of some of this evidence with the results of our study of the superpositions and the formal characteristics of the associated rock art, we have put forth a discussion on the chronology, sequence and nature of the human interactions with the cave art of this area during the Palaeolithic. This has allowed us to define the different times of creation, use and transit for the cave art, thus producing a biography of the Palaeolithic activities in this decorated area of Altamira.