The Rock Art of Serrania De La Lindosa
15 days ago
- #archaeology
- #rock-art
- #Colombia
- The Serranía de la Lindosa in Colombia's Orinoco River basin features extensive and elaborate rock art, possibly among the earliest in the Americas.
- Rock art in the region dates back to around 12,000 years, with ochre pigments mixed with plant resin for preservation.
- The area was not newly discovered in 2020, despite sensational media claims; it has been known to indigenous people and documented by Europeans since the 19th century.
- Three primary rock art sites are Cerro Azul, Nuevo Tolima, and Raudal Angosturas, each with unique features and requiring guided tours.
- The rock art provides insights into early hunter-gatherer cultures, their spiritual beliefs, and interactions with the environment, including potential depictions of now-extinct megafauna.
- Debates exist over whether some pictographs depict megafauna like giant sloths, Macrauchenia, or other extinct species, with interpretations varying among researchers.
- The region has become more accessible to tourism and research following Colombia's 2016 peace treaty with FARC, though remnants of conflict and drug trade persist.
- Local guides are essential for visiting the sites, and intermediate Spanish skills are recommended due to the rarity of English speakers in the area.
- The rock art panels are often divided into three levels symbolizing the underworld, terrestrial realm, and celestial deities, reflecting the spiritual beliefs of early inhabitants.
- Future research may provide more definitive dating of the rock art and clarify whether early humans coexisted with and hunted megafauna in the region.