| Summary: | THE GEOMORPHOLOGY AND THE DATING OF THE ENGRAVINGS OF FOZ CÔA - METHODOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT OF A SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH CASE - Several alternative interpretations of the age of the engravings at Foz Côa are presented. One derivation is based on the climatic and paleo-climatic characteristics of the area as well as the hydrological characteristics of the Côa River, especially its propensity for flooding. This interpretation involves the assumption that the smooth rock surface on which the engravings are found is of late-glacial origin. Another approach at establishing an age is based on the hardness of the rock schists and the near vertical slopes of the smooth surfaces in which the engravings are etched. And another interpretation is related to the burial of the engravings by debris flow and the effects of frost action on the rock surfaces. Evidence of the effects of ice on the rock surface along with the presence of periglacial deposits, similar to other known and previously-dated engravings, leads to the identification of a paleolithic age for the engravings found in the Foz Côa area.
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