The Interpretation Centre for Rock Art

The Conca-Muntanyes de Prades Environment

With the use of luminous displays and dioramas that represent the distinct paleoenvironments, the Centre illustrates the zone’s ecosystem variance: woodland, bush and river scrubland. Furthermore, the display depicts animal burrows and describes the climatic and hydrographical variance this mountainous massif exhibits.

Geologic History of the Conca-Muntanyes de Prades

The Centre gives a tour of the territory’s natural history via the paleontologic sites that have been discovered, which span a timeframe from the Silurian to the Quaternary Periods. It presents the area’s geologic stratigraphy complete with rocks and numerous graptolite, fish, reptile, mollusc, arthropod, echinoderm and plant fossils. Human beings and the first dwellings appear on the scene toward the end of the Quaternary.

Art and Humans

The origins of the artistic world lie in prehistoric art. In a brief summary, the Centre illustrates the rhythmic action and symmetry evident in many of prehistoric humans’ actions, touching on the most ancient known artistic themes, located in caves, open spaces, megalithic constructions or small artefacts. These halls bring the Iberian Peninsula’s historical context, along with its ancient art forms –cave art and other mobiliary artefacts–, closer to the visitor, and culminate with information on the techniques, tools and materials that were used.

Rock Art at Muntanyes de Prades

Using scale models that simulate the texture of the rock, the Centre hereby reproduces the Muntanyes de Prades cave art sequence: naturalist, schematic and abstract paintings. The collection of replicas or facsimiles corresponds to seven of the most significant rock shelters.

Rock Art in Catalonia

The Centre displays diverse nuclei of Protohistoric and Medieval carvings from the Conca, which attest to the survival of several sacred places located among the Muntanyes de Prades.

World Heritage

This display focuses on the global sites declared UNESCO World Heritage. Lastly, it raises the problem of managing, preserving and diffusing prehistoric art.