THE ART OF THE SHADE

FAIA’S PANEL 7, AN EXAMPLE OF THE CÔA VALLEY UPPER PALAEOLITHIC SHELTERED ROCK ART (FIGUEIRA DE CASTELO RODRIGO, GUARDA, PORTUGAL)

Abstract

The focus of this text is rock 7 of Faia, one of the sites of the Côa Valley with Palaeolithic rock art. Rock 7 is the second parietal space of the site that was created during the Upper Palaeolithic, most probably between the Gravettian and the middle Solutrean. It is the only panel of the Côa valley that was not engraved on the open-air, but under shelter, in a shaded zone. Only a hind and a possible non-figurative graphic unit were engraved, both obtained by pecking. In the first part of this text we describe the methodology of our study, the site and the rock itself. In chapters 4 to 6 we will discuss the importance of this particular parietal space in the context of the site, of the Côa Valley Palaeolithic rock art complex and the of the Iberian Palaeolithic rock art.