Natural Park of Sierra María-Los Vélez, is dotted with rocky shelters and some of the most important caves in the world. Apart from its undisputed ecological value, the area is important for its numerous cave paintings which date from more than 18,000 years ago and have great artistic significance. In 1998 the cave drawings and paintings of the Mediterranean side of the Iberian Peninsula were declared a Heritage of Mankind. Numerous prehistoric cave paintings have been found in six autonomous regions, including An-dalucía. Of the Andalusian provinces in which this prehistoric art form has been discovered, Almeria, and especially the Los Vélez area, is one of the richest, with 25 out of the 79 sites found.

They are to be found throughout the four municipal districts in caves and rocky shelters such as those of: Lázar, Queso, Maina, Chiquita, Estrecho de Santonge, Lavadero de Tello, Cama del Pastor, Cueva de Ambrosio, Gabar, Tejera, Colmenas, Yedra, Letreros, Molinos, Panal, Hoyos and Las Covachas.