Sets of Cave Paintings - Santa Elena

The most prominent elements in the Prehistory era of the municipality of Santa Elena are the sets of schematic and semi-naturalistic cave paintings, located in the shelters of the heart of Despeñaperros Natural Park.

The ones that stand out for their quality and originality are the following, which can be visited, the sets of Cueva de Vacas del Retamoso cave, those near the natural monument of Los Órganos, Cueva del Santo cave and Barranco de la Ginesa ravine.

In a natural setting of beauty and magic, the paintings are usually found in shelters, shallow caves - in many cases vertical walls - barely covered by a rock projection. The sets contain the well-known triangular anthropomorphs with eye-type headdresses, schematic deer with large dark red antlers, black pectiniforms and other figures, such as quadrupeds, rectangles, branch-like figures, suns, oval figures, bars, anchor-like figures, swallow-type anthropomorphs, zig-zag elements, etc.

Although most of the paintings are in places that are hard to access, and what's most important is to ensure that they are well preserved, the signposted trail of the Barranco de la Niebla ravine allows visitors to check out some of the most outstanding sets.