20 years as World Heritage
2018 marked the 20th year since Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Its inclusion on the list was the result of a collective effort by six autonomous communities (Andalusia, Aragon, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Castile-La Mancha and Murcia) which started in 1996.The proposal was approved in 1996 by the competent body of the Spanish administration, allowing it to be registered on the indicative list. This marked the start of the work needed to present the candidacy to UNESCO.
A year and a half later, a final report was finished including 758 archaeological sites with cave paintings and their respective data. 62 of these were located in Catalonia.
The prestigious French expert in prehistory, Jean Clotte, was asked by ICOMOS to prepare the reports UNESCO had requested of multiple institutions in situ. In order to meet his needs, the Consejo de Arte Rupestre del Arco Mediterráneo de la Península Ibérica (Council on Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula) was created, and a system of barriers was put in place to protect the sites.
From November 30 to December 5, 1998, the World Heritage Committee met in Kyoto, Japan. After a great deal of hard work, the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula was finally included in the World Heritage catalogue.
Since then, from 1998 to 2018, 70 important new sites have been discovered in Catalonia. Some of the most significant are the rock paintings of Capçanes (Capçanes), Cocó de la Gralla (Mas de Barberans) and Les Brucardes (Sant Fruitós de Bages).
LIST OF ROCK PAINTINGS DECLARED WORLD HERITAGE BY UNESCO
1. Rock paintings of Olèrdola (Olèrdola)Abric de Can Castellví
Abric de Can Ximet
2. Roc del Rumbau o Roca dels Moros (Peramola)
3. Roca Roja (La Llacuna)
4. Rock paintings of Vandellós (Vandellós)
Balma d’en Roc
Cova de l’Escoda
Cova del Racó d’en Perdigó
5. Abric de la serra de la Mussara (Vilaplana)
6. Paintings near La Cova Pintada (Alfara de Carles)
7. Rock paintings of El Perelló (El Perelló)
Cabrafeixet
Cova de les Calobres
8. Cova de Vallmajor (Albinyana)
9. Abric de la vall d’Ingla (Bellver de Cerdanya)
10. Muntanyes de Prades (Montblanc)
Abric de la Baridana I
Abric de la Baridana II
Britus I
Britus II
Cova de les Creus
El Portell de les Lletres
Mas del Gran
Mas d’en Carles
Mas d’en Llort
Mas d’en Ramon d’en Besso
11. Rock paintings of L’Albi (L’Albi)
Balma dels Punts
Vall de la Coma
12. Roques Guàrdies II (Les Borges Blanques)
13. Roca dels Moros (El Cogul)
14. Rock Paintings of Freginals (Freginals)
Abric de les Llibreres
Abric de Masets
15. Abrics de l’Ermita – Serra de Godall (Ulldecona)
Abric d’Ermites de la serra de la Pietat I-IX
Abric d’Esquerterades I
Abric d’Esquerterades II
16. Les Aparets I, II, III, IV (Alòs de Balaguer)
17. Antona I, II, III (Artesa de Segre)
18. Rock Paintings of Camarasa (Camarasa)
Balma del Pantà
Cova del Tabac
19. Cova dels Vilasos o del Vilars (Os de Balaguer)
20. Cova del Cogulló (Vilanova de Meià)
21. Balma de les Ovelles (Tremp)
22. Abric de Gallicant (Cornudella de Montsant)
23. Barranc de la Vilella (Tivissa)
Cova del Cingle
Cova del Pi
Cova del Ramat
Cova del Taller
24. Rock Paintings of Alfés (Alfés)
25. Rock Paintings of La Granja d’Escarp (La Granja d’Escarp)
Abric del barranc de Sant Jaume (La Granja d’Escarp)
Abric del barranc del Canà o de la mina Federica (La Granja d’Escarp)
26. Abrics de l’Apotecari (Tarragona)
27. Pedra de les Orenetes (La Roca del Vallès)
Some of the sites discovered after the World Heritage declaration:
28. Rock Paintings of Capçanes (Capçanes)
Barranc de la Parellada I, II, III, IV (Capçanes)
Barranc de la Vall I, II, III, IV, V, VI (Capçanes)
29. Cocó de la Gralla (Mas de Barberans)
30. Les Brucardes (Sant Fruitós de Bages)
