Cultural Routes-Prehistoric Rock Art Trails

The CoE Cultural Route of Prehistoric Rock Art Trails (2010) is a network of more than 150 great Archaeological and Rock Art sites!

Prehistoric Rock Art appeared in Europe 42,000 years ago and continued until the Early Iron Age. Since the scientific recognition of the Cave of Altamira in 1902, this art has constituted an important cultural and tourism resource for Europe representing over 40% of all the world’s rock art sites.

Culture and nature come together in this form of art that is full of symbolism. It consists of figurative manifestations, schematic forms and abstract shapes composed of drawings, paintings or prints on the walls of caves, rock-shelters and open-air rock outcrops, as well as on some Megalithic constructions motivated by religious beliefs and full of references to nature.

Azerbaijan and Georgia have joined this Cultural Route with the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (Azerbaijan), the Tusheti Protected Landscape Rock Art (Georgia) and the Trialeti Petroglyphs (Georgia).

Bonus Trivia!

Since 2007, the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (Azerbaijan) is inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List of cultural sites.

Sources: https://www.coe.int/en/web/cultural-routes/prehistoric-rock-art-trails, https://www.prehistour.eu/rock-art-as-world-heritage-unesco/

Photographs taken from: https://www.prehistour.eu/rock-art-as-world-heritage-unesco/

Photograph No 1: Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, Azerbaijan

Photograph No 2: Tusheti Protected Landscape Rock Art, Georgia

Photograph No 3: Trialeti Petroglyphs, Georgia

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