Richly painted prehistoric cave found in eastern Turkey

Researchers have discovered a cave in eastern Turkey with more than a hundred anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures and many more geometric symbols painted on the walls. It is one of the oldest, best-preserved and most densely painted caves in Anatolia.

The rock art was discovered during fieldwork in the Tohma Canyon region. The figures are painted in red and reddish-brown pigments and are uniquely rich in number of figures, diversity of subjects and in the symbolic relationship between them.

The archaeological evidence around the cave all dates to the Neolithic, and there is no evidence of any human occupation after that, so the art likely dates to the Neolithic period as well, although it has not been directly dated. Many of the figures are layered on top of each other and there are stylistic differences that point to the cave having been reused over hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years.

This indicates the figures and geometric symbols were composed in a specific way to create a narrative form that was then built upon and reinterpreted by later generations. It’s possible the schematic visual character of the figures and symbols was a means of communicating shared beliefs, cultural understanding, ideas and memories.

Researchers will carry out further surface studies and laboratory analyses before making a definitive dating of the cave. The team plans to document the painted surfaces in detail, classify the figures, create inventory records and examine pigment samples to better understand the cave’s chronology and painting techniques.

* This article was originally published here