Argentine and Chilean archaeologists have revealed the oldest set of cave paintings ever found on the South American continent. Located in the rock shelter of Huenul 1in the province of Neuquén, Argentina, this artistic treasure dates back to 8,200 years ago.
Within the vast silence of Argentine Patagonia, the research team, led by Dr. Guadalupe Romero Villanueva found a total of 895 paintings. These prehistoric works of art are not just aesthetic expressions; they serve as testaments to the hunter-gatherer societies that once roamed these lands.
The dating process revealed four peniform patterns drawn in charcoal, which Villanueva, in a publication in the magazine Science Advances, describes as the first examples of direct dating of South American rock art. This milestone not only establishes the antiquity of artistic practice in the region, but also suggests a continuity of this cultural expression for at least 3,000 years.
The paintings of Huenul 1 they are not just decorative; they are a testimony to the artistic capacity and cultural transmission between the hunter-gatherer communities of the environment Holoceneapproximately between 7,000 and 5,000 years ago.
“We believe these images were part of a resilient response by nomadic groups inhabiting this cave and the deserts of northern Patagonia to the climatic challenges of a period of extreme drought during the mid-Holocene,” explained Villanueva, a researcher at Argentina’s National Council for Scientific and Technical Research.
Although the Cave of the hands (photo), also in Argentina, has paintings dated 9,500 years ago, they are based on relative dating, not direct dating like those of Huenul 1. This distinction places the Neuquén discoveries on a unique level, providing a direct framework for the chronology of rock art in the region.
Patagonian rock art is not just a window into the past; it is a mirror that reflects the enduring human capacity for expression, communication and adaptation. These paintings tell stories of resilience, creativity and interconnection in an inhospitable and remote world.
2024-03-10 02:11:00
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