Cova Centelles
(8000 ac - 5000 ac)Cova Centelles was discovered in 1980. Here are preserved some of the most important pictographs to understand the older stages of Levantine art. Most of the paintings are in lower part of the shelter where more than 200 figures are preserved. On the left is one of the most remarkable scene of this style. Here, a large group of archers, and women burden with loads and children, are walking with great strides towards the right part of the shelter. These pictographs have been interpreted as a group of hunter-gatherers moving the camp. More than 30 figures take part in this scene, all of them of large size for this style, and exhibiting different kind of headdresses and body adornments. On the right part of the shelter women pictographs in different attitudes are prevailing. The whole of the shelter is covered with a thick calcite crust that hide many of the paintings.
Visit Plan
The Valltorta Museum arrange on-demand visits to this shelter. Additional information in: Museo de la Valltorta, Pla de l'Hom, s/n, 12179 Tírig, Castellón. Teléfono: 964 33 60 10.
How to Arrive
To arrive to the shelter should be taken CV-130 road that connects Albocàsser and Tírig. A turn towards a paved road heading to Sant Miquel chapel and Catí should be taken around kilometer point 3.400. Continue along this road for just over 5 km until a track that turns left towards the shelter.
Visitable
Yes
Difficulty
Moderate
Discoverer
M. Centelles. 1980.
Locality
Province
Orientation
East
Altitude
722 m
Style
Number of Panels
-
Number of Figures
-
Dimensions
80m x 6m
Geology
-
Graphic documentation
Title: Landscape where Cova Centelles is located.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
Panoramic view of the mountain ridge where Cova Centelles is placed.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
Panoramic view of the mountain ridge where Cova Centelles is placed.
Title: Landscape view from Cova Centelles
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
Panoramic view of Maestrazgo region towards Valltorta Gorge from Cova Centelles.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
Panoramic view of Maestrazgo region towards Valltorta Gorge from Cova Centelles.
Title: 3D model of entire Cova Centelles.
Technique: Photogrammetry
Description:
Photogrammetric 3D model of the entire site of Cova Centelles, including the upper frieze and the lower shelter.
Technique: Photogrammetry
Description:
Photogrammetric 3D model of the entire site of Cova Centelles, including the upper frieze and the lower shelter.
Title: 3D model Cova Centelles, left area, upper frieze, real color.
Technique: Photogrammetry
Description:
Photogrammetric 3D model of left area of Cova Centelles, including upper frieze.
Technique: Photogrammetry
Description:
Photogrammetric 3D model of left area of Cova Centelles, including upper frieze.
Title: 3D model Cova Centelles, right area, lower shelter, real color.
Technique: Photogrammetry
Description:
Photogrammetric 3D model of right area of Cova Centelles, including lower shelter.
Technique: Photogrammetry
Description:
Photogrammetric 3D model of right area of Cova Centelles, including lower shelter.
Title: 3D model Cova Centelles, left area, upper frieze, false color.
Technique: Photogrammetry
Description:
Photogrammetric detail 3D model of left area of Cova Centelles, with texture enhanced by DStretch to improve visibility of paintings.
Technique: Photogrammetry
Description:
Photogrammetric detail 3D model of left area of Cova Centelles, with texture enhanced by DStretch to improve visibility of paintings.
Title: 3D model Cova Centelles, right area, lower shelter, false color.
Technique: Photogrammetry
Description:
Photogrammetric detail 3D model of right area of Cova Centelles, with texture enhanced by DStretch to improve visibility of paintings.
Technique: Photogrammetry
Description:
Photogrammetric detail 3D model of right area of Cova Centelles, with texture enhanced by DStretch to improve visibility of paintings.
Title: Right hand area of the lower shelter of Cova Centelles, real color.
Technique: Polarised photography
Description:
There are a large number of Levantine style figures in this area of the shelter, but they are seriously weathered. It is specially relevant the large number of women of this panel and their attitudes. At least one of them, maybe two, seems to be giving birth, or to be in postures connected to child birthing. Other woman seems to be caring for a lifeless man, who maybe is dead. Another one is carrying a burden on her head; her breasts are evident and she is wearing some kind of broad trousers. In this area there are as well some male figures, some of them archers. It is remarkable the use of dots of white paint over many red figures.
Technique: Polarised photography
Description:
There are a large number of Levantine style figures in this area of the shelter, but they are seriously weathered. It is specially relevant the large number of women of this panel and their attitudes. At least one of them, maybe two, seems to be giving birth, or to be in postures connected to child birthing. Other woman seems to be caring for a lifeless man, who maybe is dead. Another one is carrying a burden on her head; her breasts are evident and she is wearing some kind of broad trousers. In this area there are as well some male figures, some of them archers. It is remarkable the use of dots of white paint over many red figures.
Title: Left hand area of the lower shelter of Cova Centelles, real color.
Technique: Polarised photography
Description:
In this section of the shelter there are a large number of seriously weathered Levantine style pictographs. At least four large stags are in the upper part of the panel; they are hunted or harassed by archers exhibiting complex personal adornments. There are several women as well in passive attitudes who are accompanied by stylised archers. It is specially remarkable the large number of superimpositions between figures in this sector, what is an indication of a long-time use of the panel.
Technique: Polarised photography
Description:
In this section of the shelter there are a large number of seriously weathered Levantine style pictographs. At least four large stags are in the upper part of the panel; they are hunted or harassed by archers exhibiting complex personal adornments. There are several women as well in passive attitudes who are accompanied by stylised archers. It is specially remarkable the large number of superimpositions between figures in this sector, what is an indication of a long-time use of the panel.
Title: Panoramic view of the three main areas with pictographs in Cova Centelles, real color.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
Gigapíxel imagen covering the three main areas with paintings in this site; the upper frieze, and the areas left and right of the lower shelter.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
Gigapíxel imagen covering the three main areas with paintings in this site; the upper frieze, and the areas left and right of the lower shelter.
Title: Upper frieze, left hand area, of Cova Centelles, real color.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
This asset of pictographs is located in the upper frieze of the site, around 4 m high, in an area deeply affected by flowstone that hide many of this paintings. There are around 50 Levantine style pictographs here, most of them taking part in a complex narrative scene that have been interpreted as the moving of the campsite. Characters depicted are playing different roles in the social group; in one hand, there are a group of women placed in the centre of the band, carrying burden on their heads and backs, and even they carry the children on top. Around women are placed the archers protecting them against any threat. In fact, there are a pair of archers firing their bows in the lower part of the scene. Finally, there are some animal depictions, like a bovid and a possible deer.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
This asset of pictographs is located in the upper frieze of the site, around 4 m high, in an area deeply affected by flowstone that hide many of this paintings. There are around 50 Levantine style pictographs here, most of them taking part in a complex narrative scene that have been interpreted as the moving of the campsite. Characters depicted are playing different roles in the social group; in one hand, there are a group of women placed in the centre of the band, carrying burden on their heads and backs, and even they carry the children on top. Around women are placed the archers protecting them against any threat. In fact, there are a pair of archers firing their bows in the lower part of the scene. Finally, there are some animal depictions, like a bovid and a possible deer.
Title: Left hand area of the lower shelter of Cova Centelles, real color.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
In this section of the shelter there are a large number of seriously weathered Levantine style pictographs. At least four large stags are in the upper part of the panel; they are hunted or harassed by archers exhibiting complex personal adornments. There are several women as well in passive attitudes who are accompanied by stylised archers. It is specially remarkable the large number of superimpositions between figures in this sector, what is an indication of a long-time use of the panel.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
In this section of the shelter there are a large number of seriously weathered Levantine style pictographs. At least four large stags are in the upper part of the panel; they are hunted or harassed by archers exhibiting complex personal adornments. There are several women as well in passive attitudes who are accompanied by stylised archers. It is specially remarkable the large number of superimpositions between figures in this sector, what is an indication of a long-time use of the panel.
Title: Central area of the lower shelter of Cova Centelles, real color.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
Levantine style pictographs reach the ceiling in this area. Most of them are taking part in the hunting scene of a large stag with huge antlers that is running away with several arrows in his body. A group of archers are catching him wearing elaborated feather adornments in their heads.
Technique: Gigapixel panoramic imaging
Description:
Levantine style pictographs reach the ceiling in this area. Most of them are taking part in the hunting scene of a large stag with huge antlers that is running away with several arrows in his body. A group of archers are catching him wearing elaborated feather adornments in their heads.
Title: Right hand area of the lower shelter of Cova Centelles, false color.
Technique: Polarised photography
Description:
Gigapixel image of the right hand area of lower shelter of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Technique: Polarised photography
Description:
Gigapixel image of the right hand area of lower shelter of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Title: Left hand area of the lower shelter of Cova Centelles, false color.
Technique: Polarised photography
Description:
Gigapixel image of the left hand area of lower shelter of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Technique: Polarised photography
Description:
Gigapixel image of the left hand area of lower shelter of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Title: Panoramic view of the three main areas with pictographs in Cova Centelles, false color.
Technique: Image analysis
Description:
Gigapíxel imagen covering the three main areas with paintings of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Technique: Image analysis
Description:
Gigapíxel imagen covering the three main areas with paintings of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Title: Upper frieze, left hand area, of Cova Centelles, false color.
Technique: Image analysis
Description:
Gigapixel image of the left sector of the upper frieze of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Technique: Image analysis
Description:
Gigapixel image of the left sector of the upper frieze of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Title: Left hand area of the lower shelter of Cova Centelles, false color.
Technique: Image analysis
Description:
Gigapixel image of the left hand area of lower shelter of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Technique: Image analysis
Description:
Gigapixel image of the left hand area of lower shelter of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Title: Central area of the lower shelter of Cova Centelles, false color.
Technique: Image analysis
Description:
Gigapixel image of the central area of lower shelter of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.
Technique: Image analysis
Description:
Gigapixel image of the central area of lower shelter of Cova Centelles, enhanced by DStretch software to improve visibility of paintings.