Archaeologists from Argentina and Chile have uncovered the oldest collection of cave paintings ever found on the South American continent. Located in a rock shelter Huinol 1In Neuquén Province, Argentina, this art treasure dates back 8,200 years.
In light of the vast silence experienced by Argentine Patagonia, the research team led by Dr. Guadalupe Romero Villanueva found a total of 895 paintings. These prehistoric works of art are not merely aesthetic expressions; They serve as testaments to the hunter-gatherer societies that once roamed these lands.
The dating process revealed four phallic-like patterns drawn in charcoal, which Villanueva published in a magazine publication Advancement of science, described as the first examples of direct dating of rock art in South America. This monument not only proves the ancientness of artistic practice in the region, but also indicates the continuity of this cultural expression for at least 3,000 years.
Paintings Huinol 1 It is not just decoration; It is a testament to the artistic ability and cultural transmission between hunter-gatherer communities in the environment Holoceneabout 7000 to 5000 years ago.
“We believe these images were part of the resilient response of the 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.” Villanueva, a researcher at the Argentine National Council for Scientific and Technical Research, explained.
although Cave of hands (Image), also in Argentina, has paintings dating back to 9,500 years ago, and is based on relative dating, not direct dating like those Huinol 1. This distinction places the Neuquén finds 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 man's constant ability to express, communicate and adapt. These paintings tell stories of resilience, creativity, and interconnectedness in a distant, inhospitable world.
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