MARBELLA, SPAIN—According to statement released by the Municipality of Marbella, the Department of Culture, Education, and Historical Heritage announced the discovery of a stone block that may rewrite human history in the Iberian Peninsula. The object was found at Coto Correa in Las Chapas, a site that has been known since the 1950s, when archaeologists first found stone tools there dating to the early Paleolithic period. Recently, a piece of gabbro, a type of igneous rock, was uncovered that seemed to contain mysterious engravings and designs made by humans. Preliminary dating suggested that the markings may have been created as long as 200,000 years ago. The find is particularly noteworthy because it could confirm the presence of early humans living in this area of Spain during the early Middle Paleolithic, a period about which experts still know little. Even more significantly, the incisions could also predate the oldest known cave art by 100,000 years. Researchers have begun in-depth analysis of the object, which is set to include detailed 3D scanning and more precise dating using quartz analysis of different sediment samples. To read about 25,000-year-old paintings and engravings found in a Valencia cave, go to "Paleo Palette."
