From archival historiography to 3D modelling: An accurate reconstruction of the Palaeolithic landscape in El Castillo Cave to explore the spatial dynamics of hand stencil dispersion

We propose a comprehensive approach for the reconstruction of the prehistoric state of El Castillo Cave (Puente Viesgo, Cantabria) that allows a precise spatial analysis of the distribution of its parietal motifs. The cave has undergone numerous changes over time due to both geological and anthropic processes, which have altered its original appearance. In the aim of understanding how Palaeolithic societies used the space for creating rock art, we combined the study of historical archival data of different types with modern scanning and 3D modelling techniques. We began carrying out field data recollection, as well as archival research, including historical photographs, maps, excavation records and written and oral sources, supplemented by geomorphological analyses to assess natural and anthropic alterations of the cavity. In a second phase, using a 3D modelling software, we developed a three-dimensional model where we virtually removed modern modifications (e.g., staircases and lighting) and restored ancient soil levels, to reconstruct the cave as it likely appeared during the Upper Palaeolithic period. This work served as a basis for spatial analyses of the hand stencil motifs through Geographic Information Systems . This approach provides promising results in terms of interpretation of different types of space by suggesting they are a motif particularly easily accessible for a large viewership, therefore bringing us closer to the apprehension of prehistoric human behaviour and symbolic practices. • We virtually reconstructed the Upper Palaeolithic state of El Castillo cave. • We combined fieldwork, geomorphological analysis and archival study with 3D modeling. • Unpublished archive pictures from 1936 were unveiled in the frame of this work. • Our reconstruction serves as basis for GIS studies of the hand stencils' dispersion. • Hand stencils in the cave are (i) easily accessible and (ii) allow a large viewership.