Scientists Recover 2,000-Year-Old Human DNA From 24 Cave Art Panels, Identifying Likely Artists
Updated
Updated · Smithsonian Magazine · Jun 29
Scientists Recover 2,000-Year-Old Human DNA From 24 Cave Art Panels, Identifying Likely Artists
3 articles · Updated · Smithsonian Magazine · Jun 29
Summary
Five of 120 samples from 11 caves in Spain and Portugal yielded ancient human DNA, marking the first recovery of such material from rock art and cave walls.
A pigmented calcite crust at Portugal's Escoural Cave produced human DNA without animal DNA, leading researchers to infer it likely came directly from saliva, sweat or other bodily fluids left on the art.
Three samples appear to have come from women and one from a man, while two align closely with western hunter-gatherer groups dated to about 5,200 to 16,700 years ago.
The DNA could not be tied definitively to the original artists, and some unpainted-wall samples also carried human DNA, suggesting contamination or later cave visitors in some cases.
Researchers say the find opens cave walls as a new genetic archive and are expanding sampling at Spanish sites including Ardales and Nerja, where Neanderthal-made art has been proposed.
Can DNA from cave walls finally tell us who the world's first artists actually were?
If cave walls store human DNA, what other surfaces are hiding our ancestors' genetic secrets?
Is uncovering an artist's DNA worth damaging their irreplaceable, millennia-old art?
Unlocking Prehistoric Secrets: Ancient Human DNA Found on Cave Walls in Spain and Portugal (2026)
Overview
In June 2026, researchers achieved a major breakthrough by recovering ancient human DNA directly from prehistoric cave walls in Spain and Portugal. This marks a significant first in archaeogenetics, offering new insights into early human life without the need for destructive excavations, which often remove parts of the archaeological record. By extracting DNA from cave surfaces, scientists can now uncover stories about past societies, even in places where traditional evidence like bones or artifacts is missing or hard to access. This innovative approach opens up new possibilities for understanding human history while preserving valuable archaeological sites.