Rock art reveals early human ties with Amazon animals

“Every picture tells a story,” or so the saying goes. True enough, but what if those pictures tell the story of an ancient culture and its intricate relationships with the natural world?

In the wilderness of the Colombian Amazon, a secretive canvas of rock art explores this very tale. It takes us back to the early settlers of the continent – meeting, marveling, and making meaning of the animals they encountered.

This adventure into human history is led by an international team of researchers from the University of Exeter, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, and the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. The findings take us on a visual journey through time, culture, and ecology.

Ancient Amazon rock art

Located in the Serranía de la Lindosa, Cerro Azul – a free-standing table-top hill near the Guayabero River – has proven to be a vital page in the storybook of man’s early days in Amazonia.

The hill hides a trove of rock art, a gallery of vivid ochre paintings that serve as a testament to the lives and beliefs of the region’s early settlers.

“These rock art sites include the earliest evidence of humans in western Amazonia, dating back 12,500 years ago,” said Dr. Mark Robinson, associate professor in Exeter’s Department of Archaeology and History.

“As such, the art is an amazing insight into how these first settlers understood their place in the world and how they formed relationships with animals.”

Amazon through the lens of rock art

The team’s detailed study of animal remains from nearby excavations – alongside analysis of the artistic depictions – revealed an intriguing discrepancy.

While the remains suggest a diverse diet that included mammals, reptiles, and even fish, it appears the artists weren’t merely painting what was on the dinner table.

Interestingly, the animal bones’ proportions didn’t match the proportional representation of animals in the art.

This raises fascinating questions about the significance of certain species in indigenous Amazonian culture, further underlining the complexities of the relationships these early settlers forged with the animals around them.

Art and the supernatural

Indeed, the visually stunning renditions of animals and humans transforming into one another alluded to a rich mythology that guided generations of Amazonians.

This hints at a profound spiritual aspect, suggesting that certain species were revered and believed to possess supernatural connections, warranting complex rituals from specialists.

“The Indigenous people of Cerro Azul and the surrounding lands 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,” noted Dr. Javier Aceituno, of Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín.

“They had intimate knowledge of the various habitats in the region and possessed the relevant skills to hunt animals and harvest plants from each, as part of a broad subsistence strategy.”

Big cats and power symbols

Adding another layer of intrigue to the study are the species noticeably absent from the rock art. Big cats, despite their position as apex predators, were strikingly missing from the painted panels.

This absence prompts the researchers to theorize that the artists may have been restricted from depicting powerful beasts, like the jaguar, adding a new dimension to their findings.

On the other hand, the abundant illustrations of figures combining human and animal characteristics reveal a complex mythology of transformation between animal and human states, a traditional belief still prevalent in many modern Amazonian communities.

Learning from Amazon rock art

The artwork not only paints a picture of humanity’s relationship with animals but also showcases a broad understanding and exploitation of diverse environments in the region, including savannah, flooded forests, and rivers.

Professor Jose Iriarte of Exeter offered his perspective on the value of these findings. “Our approach reveals differences between what indigenous communities exploited for food and what is conceptually important to represent – and not represent – in art,” said Inarte.

“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. They are particularly revealing when it comes to more cosmological aspects of Amazonian life, such as what is considered taboo, where power resides, and how negotiations with the supernatural were conducted.”

The findings shed light on the intricate tapestry of Amazonian life thousands of years ago, still echoing through the timeless rock art of Cerro Azul.

Our journey through the annals of human cultural history continues, filling the gaps one discovery after another, allowing us a glimpse into the complex rhythms of ancient life that continue to resonate in our modern world.

The study is published in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology.

Image Credit: University of Exeter

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