TheCave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain (Cueva de Altamira y arte rupestre paleolítico del Norte de España) is a grouping of 18 caves of northernSpain, which together represent the apogee ofUpper Paleolithiccave art in Europe between 35,000 and 11,000 years ago (Aurignacian,Gravettian,Solutrean,Magdalenian,Azilian). In 2008, they were collectively designated aWorld Heritage Site byUNESCO.
Chief among these caves isAltamira, located within the town ofSantillana del Mar inCantabria. It remains one of the most important painting cycles ofprehistory, originating in theMagdalenian andSolutrean periods of the Upper Paleolithic. This cave's artistic style represents the Franco-cantabrian school, characterized by the realism of its figural representation. Altamira Cave was declared aWorld Heritage Site in 1985. In 2008, the World Heritage Site was expanded to include 17 additional caves located in threeautonomous communities of northern Spain:Asturias, Cantabria and theBasque Country.
Pike, A. W. G.; Hoffmann, D. L.; Garcia-Diez, M.; Pettitt, P. B.; Alcolea, J.; De Balbin, R.; Gonzalez-Sainz, C.; de las Heras, C.; Lasheras, J. A.; Montes, R.; Zilhao, J. (14 June 2012). "U-Series Dating of Paleolithic Art in 11 Caves in Spain".Science.336 (6087):1409–1413.Bibcode:2012Sci...336.1409P.doi:10.1126/science.1219957.PMID22700921.S2CID7807664.
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