Patagonia: the mystery of the caves of the hands

For: Gerardo Bartolomé (text and photos)
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When touring the famous Carretera Austral was surprised to find on the map the name "Cave of the Hands". I did not know that in southern Chile had one with the same name as the famous cave Argentina. With my wife not hesitate to enfilade our van over there and find out what it was.

As we walked down the road we remembered what we had seen in the Cave of the Hands Argentina. It is nestled in a spectacular, a landscape very different from those found in the area. The cave, which is actually an eave, is at the foot of the cliffs that make a cannon. At its foot runs the River Paintings, forming one of the few green places of the Patagonian steppe. Watching him necessarily means that it must have been an important place for Indians. The canyon walls make the guanacos, mainstay of Patagonian native peoples, remain boxed to go drinking water. This simplified the difficult task of hunting them without horses. This assumption is confirmed by the drawings on cave walls, with abundant herds of guanacos and rheas (Patagonian ostrich also part of the food of the Aboriginal).

They are painted with a simple technique is to support a hand on the stone and, with the other, throwing paint on it

But what is striking the walls of this huge overhang are the hands. Hundreds of hands painted on the walls seem to want to draw the attention of visitors. As voices of a distant past world that we want to remember that they were there.

They are painted with a simple technique is to support a hand on the stone and the other throwing paint on it. Upon removal is the "negative" of the hand on the stone. Observing aquellas homies note that they are almost all left-handed, This is explained because the Indians preferred to throw the right paint, certainly more skilled. Here and there were noticed some right hands, implying that a minority were left-handed, not unlike what occurs today.

We were in a green plain bordered by stunning snow-capped mountains. Some trees separated us from a vertical wall of stone

But back to our trip to southern Chile ... A sign warned us that we had arrived at the Cave of the Hands. Getting off the truck I saw that the place was very different from the Argentine, but no less attractive. We were in a green plain bordered by stunning snow-capped mountains. Some trees separated us from a vertical wall of stone. We followed the trail and met with a small group we joined. A tall girl whose features proved their Indian ancestry came over and explained that we would guide by the place. As we walked among her plants and trees we explain each of the species and the use they made of their ancestors. When asked one traveler replied that it was an ethnic tehuelche, the "Patagons" of Magellan; That explained her close to six feet tall.

When we arrived at the foot of the cliff we could see the cave paintings. As in the homonymous cave Argentina, Here we saw dozens of hands, guanacos, rheas as well as geometric figures as zig-zags and spirals. But mostly hands ... hands ... many hands.

It is not known if they were old tehuelches and if these displaced from the region to the authors of these works

Responding to questions from tourists proud girl answered that these paintings had been made by their ancestors. The truth is that this is not yet clear. It is not known if they were old tehuelches and if these displaced from the region to the authors of these works. Some thirty years ago several Patagonian cave paintings were dated using the method of "Carbon 14" their organic pigments. This led to the surprising revelation that the paintings were between 7.000 and 10.000 years old.

Initially, the scientific disbelieved these results as, for the alleged date of onset of the peopling of North America, Patagonia seemed impossible that the South had been inhabited as early. But, over time were other archaeological sites Chile and Argentina dating the arrival of man to South America in times past still.

The meaning of these paintings remains a mystery. Scientists only dare to suggest that it would be a rite of passage with some magical significance

The Americans denied any possibility until, a few years ago, cleared their throats uncomfortably before explaining that an error had been found in deposits dating Canadian. They gave the reason to those who insisted that America had been colonized from Asia ago 18.000 years and does 14.000, as they held. The Argentine and Chilean archaeologists smiled proud. His thesis was correct.

The meaning of these paintings remains a mystery. Scientists only dare to suggest that it would be a rite of passage with some magical significance. The guanacos scenes lead me to believe that this rite would be linked to hunting, since that depended on the survival of tribes. It is estimated that until a few 300 years the population of guanacos in southern Europe reached twenty million, hence their hunting was essential for Aborigines could be fed with meat and keep warm with their skins. The arrival of horses and, later, sheep, completely changed this situation.

Santa Cruz has declared the guanaco a "harmful species". I can not help but feel shame…

Currently there are little more than half a million of guanacos in Argentina and Chile. Believe it or not, recently the legislature of the Province of Santa Cruz (Argentina) passed a motion declaring the guanaco "species detrimental to the Province". To think that in Patagonia the guanaco went from being the mainstay to be considered harmful!

As of this writing I can not help but feel ashamed ...

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Comments (2)

  • carmen

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    Sr Gerardo, to walk these spaces, I found your blog and your comment »When I write these lines I can't help but feel ashamed ...» You have no idea of ​​the danger that the BEAUTIFUL GUANACOS are that populate the south of Argentina. I speak for the region where I live. Province of Sta Cruz. this land, I love it, but their large population is a problem, and moving the edge of the cross often rutas.y, provoncando terrible state it accidentes.Tanto, as farmers,must do something to prevent this situacion.Gracias by leerme.Hermosas their fotografias.Carmen

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  • Gerardo Bartolomé

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    Carmen:
    I do not understand why his shame. I know there are many people in the Province of Santa Cruz who believes you have to remove the guanacos of the steppe to avoid problems when handling. So we leave the world…
    In Scandinavia, the elk "problem" was solved by fencing off stretches of roads with extra high fencing and driving slower..
    Greetings

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