Researchers have documented a series of monumental snake engravings along the Orinoco River in South America. These rock art pieces, some of which exceed 40 meters in length, are not only an artistic enigma but also deeply linked to indigenous cosmogonic myths and pre-Columbian cultural practices.
The rock art of the Middle and Upper Orinoco stands out as some of the most impressive and enigmatic in the world. According to the study led by Philip Riris and his colleagues, these engravings, particularly those of giant snakes, occupy prominent places in the landscape, visible from great distances. The researchers suggest that these engravings served as physical reference points for indigenous cosmogonic myths, acting as boundary markers along the rivers in the lowlands of South America.
The Orinoco River is a point of cultural convergence in northern South America, playing a crucial role in structuring cultural contact, exchange, and interaction. Recent research has revitalized interest in the pre-Columbian art of this region, exploring its role in the early occupation of America, the connections between indigenous myths and artistic production, as well as the historical ecological knowledge that this art can embody.
The monumental rock art panels, found only in the Middle and Upper Orinoco, where individual motifs often exceed 10 square meters, have been known for over a century. Travelers who navigated the Orinoco River since the 18th century reported the presence of mysterious snake petroglyphs crowning rocky peaks. Now, the first systematic study has mapped 13 of these sites with large engravings.
These engravings are made by rubbing the surfaces of granite stained black by cyanobacteria biofilms, exposing the lighter rock beneath. Despite being extremely shallow, they are visible from several hundred meters due to their size, prominent location, and color contrast.
The giant snakes are the most widespread monumental motif, appearing at most monumental sites, with consistent iconographic patterns suggesting a shared understanding of their role and function. The snake engravings, typically tens of meters long, are disproportionately large and placed at the center of the panels, indicating their central importance in the depicted scenes.
The cosmogonic myths of South American indigenous peoples, especially those of the Arawak-speaking societies, often include giant snakes as central figures. These snakes are seen as guardians and transformers of the landscape, linking cosmological beliefs with physical geography.
The consistency in the representation of the snakes suggests a shared iconographic convention that could point to a common understanding of their role in indigenous memory and culture. Furthermore, the orientation of these panels towards the Orinoco River suggests a deep symbolic significance, possibly related to navigation and ceremonial journeys on the river, which were recurring themes in indigenous myths.
Since 2015, five seasons of archaeological data collection have been conducted along the Colombian and Venezuelan margins of the Atures Rapids, extending to the Maipures Rapids. These studies have allowed a better understanding of the regional cultural chronology and contextualized the rock art record.
Excavations have documented a succession of cultural complexes spanning from 100 BC to 1480 AD, showing a continuous history of landscape occupation and use. The ceramic motifs collected in rock shelters with rock art suggest a broad contemporaneity between the archaeological settlement phases and the production of rock art.
The precise chronology of these sites remains unresolved, despite the apparent artistic parallels in late pre-Columbian material culture, conclude the researchers, adding that our hypothesis is the absence of monumental rock art in regions historically less characterized by ethnic pluralism, for example in the highlands dominated by the Piaroa, immediately east of our study area. This would affirm their role as markers of group identity along the disputed and negotiated stretches of the Orinoco River.
Sources
Riris P, Oliver JR, Lozada Mendieta N. Monumental snake engravings of the Orinoco River. Antiquity. 2024;98(399):724-742. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.55
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