12,500 year old Amazonian Rock Art!
A recent study has shed light on the intricate relationships between the earliest settlers of the Colombian Amazon and the animals they encountered. Published in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, this research centers on the Cerro Azul site in the Serranía de la Lindosa. This region is renowned for its thousands of ochre paintings on rocky outcrops, which provide fascinating insights into ancient human life.
The rock art at Cerro Azul, dating back approximately 12,500 years, is some of the earliest evidence of human presence in western Amazonia. Dr. Mark Robinson, an Associate Professor of Archaeology at the University of Exeter, emphasized the significance of these sites. "These rock art sites include the earliest evidence of humans in western Amazonia," he said.
Photo Credit: University of Exeter
The research team used drone photogrammetry and traditional photography to catalog 3,223 images, categorizing them by form. Interestingly, 58% of these images were figurative, with more than half depicting animals such as deer, birds, peccary, lizards, turtles, and tapir. In total, at least 22 different animal species were identified.
However, the proportions of animal bones found in nearby excavations did not match the frequency of animals depicted in the art. This discrepancy suggests that the ancient artists did not merely paint the animals they commonly ate. The bones indicated a diverse diet, including fish, small to large mammals, and reptiles like turtles, snakes, and crocodiles.
Dr. Robinson explained, "The context demonstrates the complexity of Amazonian relationships with animals, both as a food source but also as revered beings, which had supernatural connections and demanded complex negotiations from ritual specialists."
The rock art also reveals a rich mythology that guided generations of indigenous Amazonians. Some images depict transformations between humans and animals, highlighting a complex belief system. Professor José Iriarte of the University of Exeter noted, "Though we cannot be certain what meaning these images have, they certainly do offer greater nuance to our understanding of the power of myths in indigenous communities."
The research focused on six of the 16 panels of ochre drawings at Cerro Azul. These ranged from the expansive 40-metre-by-10-metre El Más Largo, containing over 1,000 images, to the smaller 10-metre-by-6-metre Principal, which holds 244 images. Many of these images are well-preserved and vividly red.
Interestingly, despite the abundance of fish remains found in archaeological sites, their depiction in the art is limited to just two panels in what seem to be fishing scenes. Notably absent are big cats, such as jaguars, despite their significance as apex predators in the region. This absence might indicate a cultural restriction on depicting such powerful animals.
Dr. Javier Aceituno of Universidad de Antioquia highlighted the diverse array of animals depicted by the Indigenous people of Cerro Azul. "They hunted and depicted a diverse array of animals from different ecologies – from aquatic fish to arboreal monkeys; terrestrial deer to aerial birds, both nocturnal and diurnal." This broad subsistence strategy involved tracking and hunting animals and harvesting plants from various habitats, including savannahs, flooded forests, and rivers.
By comparing the depicted animals with the remains found, the researchers concluded that the rock art was not merely a record of daily life but also a representation of the settlers’ spiritual and cultural beliefs. "Our approach reveals differences between what indigenous communities exploited for food and what is conceptually important to represent – and not represent – in art," Professor Iriarte concluded.
The study of the rock art at Cerro Azul offers a window into the complex and multifaceted relationships between early Amazonian settlers and their environment. It underscores the importance of mythology, spiritual beliefs, and cultural practices in shaping how these ancient communities interacted with the world around them.