Check your subscription status, update your details and more. Archaeologists are uncovering the meaning of a unique rock art site Excavations in the Côa valley in Portugal, the world’s largest site of Palaeolithic open-air rock art, are yielding clues about how engravings of animals were seen by prehistoric hunter-gatherers Thierry Aubry highlights the outline of an aurochs motif on Penascosa Rock 3 It’s 6am at the Penascosa rock art site in Portugal’s Côa valley, and under the raking glow of torchlight, a faded carving of an aurochs – a wild ox that lived during the last glacial period – suddenly comes into focus against the pre-dawn gloom. For three weeks, archaeologist Thierry Aubry from the Côa Park Foundation and his team have been digging beside the engravings in search of ancient tools that might help them understand the function of the valley’s oldest rock art.
As we enter the final day of excavations, they have finally found what they are looking for: thumbnail-sized slivers of razor-sharp stone that were used as hunting weapons by prehistoric hunter-gatherers. Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with _New Scientist_ events and special offers. #### Humans ### Neanderthal skeleton found with horrific injuries News #### Humans ### Ancient shipwreck discovered off Turkey claimed to be world’s oldest News #### Humans ### The Monte Verde controversy is back: who first lived in the Americas?
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