Bogota. Archaeologists interpret thousands of cave paintings in the Amazon, which are the first evidence of human presence in the region.
An impressive ochre gallery Paintingsthat are in mass Rock walls were painted Archaeologists Insights into the relationship between humans and animals that lived in the Amazon region thousands of years ago. The artwork, now under closer examination by scientists, is located on rocky outcrops at Cerro Azul in the Serranía de la Lindosa, a cliff in Colombia.
According to a new study by “Journal of Anthropological Archaeology” There are 3,223 drawings of people and animals, including a menagerie of fish, reptiles and mammals of various sizes. Some of the images even show animals and people transforming, which, according to a statement from the University of Exeter, points to “the rich mythology points out that he guided generations of Amazonian indigenous people”.
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Archaeologists find representations of at least 22 species of animals
While researchers have not officially dated the artwork, they believe it dates back to 10,500 B.C. “These rock art sites contain the earliest evidence of human existence in the western Amazon, dating back 12,500 years,” said lead author Mark Robinson of the Human Institute. archeology and History at the University of Exeter, in the statement.
The team found at least 22 species of animals, including deer, birds, pigs, lizards, turtles and tapirs. After comparing the animal drawings with ancient dismembered animal bones found during nearby excavations, the Archaeologists found that the proportional representation of the drawings by species did not correspond to the proportion of the animal bones, suggesting that the indigenous people did not only paint what they ate. The dissected bones revealed a diverse diet, including fish, mammals and reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles.
The rock art contains a variety of motifs, including (a) fishing; (b, c, e) hunting; (d) a jumping monkey; and (f) an unknown animal with round feet and curved head elements.
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58 percent of the drawings are figurative
“The art provides incredible insight into these early settlers’ understanding of their place in the world and their relationship with animals,” Robinson said. “The context illustrates the complexity of the relationship Amazonian to animals, both as a food source and as revered beings, who had supernatural connections and required complex negotiations with ritual specialists.”
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Because the rock art is so extensive, researchers focused on six panels, including the 40-meter-long El Más Largo panel, which contains 1,000 drawings, and the much smaller, 10-meter-long panel called Principal, which contains 244 images, the much smaller, 10-meter-long panel called Principal, which contains 244 images, a statement said Explanation. After cataloging the artworks, the… Archaeologists found that 58% of the drawings were figurative, half of which were images of animals. They also noted scenes showing people fishing.
Scientists can only speculate about the purpose and meaning of the rock art. “While we cannot be certain of the meaning of these images, they certainly provide further nuance to our understanding of the power of myth in indigenous communities,” study co-author José Iriarte said in the statement. “They are particularly insightful when it comes to more cosmological aspects of life in the world.” Amazonas about what is considered taboo, where power resides, and how negotiations with the supernatural were conducted.”