The enigmatic engravings of La Pedra de les Orenetes

From the Parc de la Serralada Litoral in La Roca del Vallès, Catalonia, lies the enigmatic La Pedra de les Orenetes. A Patrimoni de la Humanitat, it showcases a series of rock engravings, most notably of Llevantí or esquematic style, discovered by Josep Estrada i Garriga in 1946. These engravings depict various motifs, including human, humanoid figures, quadrupeds, deer, and intricate stroke patterns. While the dating of these engravings is challenging, they are believed to range between Mesolithic and Neolithic for the human and anthropomorphic figures, with the rest dating towards Neolithic Final and the Bronze Age.

The Pedra de les Orenetes is unique in Catalonia as it is the only rock art on granite and underwent intensive documentation from 1987 to 1989 during the Corpus de Pintures Rupestres de Catalunya project. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998 as part of the Art Rupestre de l'Arc Mediterrani de la península Ibèrica, the site is also listed as Bé cultural d'interès nacional. The Pedra de les Orenetes can be accessed on foot from km 23 of the carretera de Sant Adrià de Besòs to La Roca del Vallès.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons