Ancient Cave Art Holds Secrets of Its Makers

Scientists have discovered that tiny amounts of human DNA can survive on the walls where prehistoric paintings were made. The team examined 24 panels in 11 caves across Spain and Portugal, taking small samples of pigment and mineral deposits. Out of 120 collected pieces, five contained DNA that could be traced back to ancient humans – a rare find for rock art. The best evidence came from Portugal’s Escoural Cave, where a layer of calcite covered a painting and held DNA at least 2, 000 years old. Researchers believe the genetic material came from saliva, sweat or skin cells left by the artist or a visitor.

Two of the samples matched men and women from hunter‑gatherer groups that lived between 5, 200 and 16, 700 years ago. This breakthrough shows that the walls of caves can keep biological traces for millennia, giving us a new way to learn about people who lived long before written records. The technique is still developing, and preservation varies from cave to cave, but it opens a fresh window into the lives of our distant ancestors. The findings suggest that future studies might reveal more about who painted these ancient images, adding a personal dimension to the art.

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