Researchers Recover Over 2,000-Year-Old Human DNA from Spanish and Portuguese Caves

A collaborative research effort led from Cáceres has successfully extracted human DNA that dates back more than 2,000 years in caves across Spain and Portugal, offering fresh insights into prehistoric populations.

Under the direction of Hipolito Collado and with contributions from teams in Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Germany, and China, the study demonstrates that rock surfaces can preserve traces of human genetic material for millennia.

The paper, published in Nature Communications, is part of the First Art project, which originated from investigations into the rock art of the Maltravieso cave in Cáceres, where some of the oldest paintings in Europe have been identified.

Regional broadcaster Canal Extremadura shared a video on X, illustrating how DNA can be retained on rock art and highlighting the potential for new scientific inquiries.

Genetic material on rock‑art surfaces

Building on this foundation, the project broadened its geographic and scientific reach to date the oldest artistic expressions on the Iberian Peninsula and analyze their chemical composition.

In partnership with researchers from Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the team incorporated ancient DNA studies into its work, exploring the possibility of extracting genetic material directly from painted surfaces—a source previously untapped by archaeology, which typically relies on bones, sediments, or tools.

The analysis examined 24 rock‑art panels from eleven caves in Spain and Portugal, employing advanced genetic extraction and sequencing techniques. Researchers recovered ancient human DNA from a pigment‑covered surface in Portugal’s Escoural cave, as well as from unpainted areas of the same site and of the Covarón cave in Asturias.

Genuine “biological archives” of past human activity

This pioneering evidence confirms that cave walls can preserve human DNA for millennia, opening new possibilities for understanding how prehistoric peoples occupied and used these spaces.

The recovered DNA is at least 2,000 years old, demonstrating the capacity of these surfaces to retain biological traces over extended periods and marking a significant advancement in archaeogenetics.

Among the samples examined were three from women, one from a man, and one that could not be conclusively assigned to either sex.

The researchers contend that cave walls could serve as authentic “biological archives” of past human activity, enabling future studies at other sites and on diverse artistic expressions using minimally invasive techniques.

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