In the province of Neuquen in Argentine Patagonia, archaeologists from Argentina and Chile have recently unearthed the earliest dated cave paintings in South America, situated within the Huenul 1 cave.
These 895 paintings, discovered in a 630 square meter rock shelter approximately 1,100 kilometers southwest of Buenos Aires, dates back 8,200 years.
Dr. Guadalupe Romero Villanueva, the researcher behind the findings published in the Science Advances journal, emphasised the significance of the discovery.
The dating of four black peniform patterns drawn in charcoal provides the earliest direct evidence of cave paintings in South America.
According to Romero Villanueva, the art production in Huenul cave commenced around 8,000 years ago, with the specific pattern persisting for at least 3,000 years.
This revelation sheds light on the artistic capabilities and cultural transmission of hunter-gatherer societies during the middle Holocene, spanning from approximately 7,000 to 5,000 years ago. The discovery also showcases socioecological resilience to climatic challenges and serves as a means of communication among dispersed populations.
Romero Villanueva suggested that these images, particularly found in response to extreme dryness during the middle Holocene, were a resilient expression by mobile hunter-gatherer groups in the face of climatic challenges in the Huenul cave and the desert environments of northern Patagonia.
While acknowledging the potential existence of older cave paintings in South America, such as those in Argentina’s Cueva de las Manos dating back 9,500 years, Romero Villanueva highlighted the importance of the direct dating method employed in this latest discovery.
According to wionews.com. Source of photos: internet
