Ancient 'X' Carving Discovered in Spain May Predate Oldest Cave Art by 100,000 Years

Archaeological excavations at the Coto Correa site in Marbella, Southern Spain, have revealed a stone block featuring a simple 'X'-shaped graphic design. This discovery, made in the Las Chapas district, could potentially predate the oldest known cave art by 100,000 years. Previous digs in the area have unearthed some of Europe's oldest stone tools, dating back to the early Paleolithic era. The stone block, discovered in 2022, features line engravings that confirm the presence of settlers in southern Spain during the Early Middle Paleolithic period. Researchers consider this period little known in Spain, especially in the Malaga province. The engravings may be the oldest known carvings made by humans. Analysis suggests the carvings could be approximately 200,000 years old, predating the oldest known cave art. Scientists are conducting further assessments, including quartz analysis of sediment samples, to confirm the dating of the stone and the carving. High-resolution 3D scanning will also be performed to study the surface in detail, identifying working marks and graphic elements. Researchers suspect the Stone Age humans who created the markings were part of an early wave of human migrants from Africa to Europe. If confirmed, the Coto Correa site could become crucial for understanding human migration and settlement across the continent.