$Unique_ID{COW00436} $Pretitle{266} $Title{Bolivia Rock Art in Archaeological Parks.} $Subtitle{} $Author{Matthias Strecker} $Affiliation{Embassy of Bolivia, Washington DC} $Subject{rock art inca sites paintings carved figures known large archaeological} $Date{1989} $Log{} Country: Bolivia Book: The Cultural Guide of Bolivia Author: Matthias Strecker Affiliation: Embassy of Bolivia, Washington DC Date: 1989 Rock Art in Archaeological Parks. Bolivian rock art, largely unknown even to students of the prehistory of the country, comprises a wealth of petroglyphs (rock carvings) and rock paintings in small caves and rock shelters, on vertical cliffs or on large boulders. About 250 sites have so far been registered in all departments, although most are found in the Andean region and in the eastern lowlands. In the northern lowlands (the departments of Pando and Beni) a few sites are known consisting of engravings on rocks alongside or near rivers. According to preliminary investigations carried out by researchers of Bolivia's Rock Art Research Society (SIARB-Sociedad de Investigacion del Arte Rupestre de Bolivia, founded in 1987) these artistic manifestations span at least several millennia. The earliest rock art, which seems to date back to the Paleo-Indian period, consists of painted hunting scenes with groups of camelids in vivid movement (possibly guanacos) and diminutive human figures, similar to representations found in Peru and Chile, and engraved abstract designs. In various sites hand imprints occur, but it is not known whether they have a similar antiquity as those of the caves of Patagonia, Argentina (7,000 B.C.). Regional pre-Inca cultures produced a rich variety of rock art which, in the majority of cases, so far cannot be dated adequately. The exceptions are some representations in East Cochabamba and West Santa Cruz ("Estilo Tripartito") which consist of stylized animal figures with three-fingered hands, feet, and sometimes a tail. Identical figures occur on ceramics of the Yampara culture which are estimated to have flourished at a time when Tiahuanaco influence declined (around 1100 A.D., cf. article by A. Oakland Rodman in this volume). Various sites of rock paintings include complex geometric designs, most likely representing textiles. The short period of Inca occupation of large parts of Bolivia produced peculiar rock carvings in the region of Copacabana, La Paz and at the spectacular engraved rock of Samaipata, Santa Cruz. These historic sites are known to have had Inca settlements, and the style of these engravings show a close relationship to Inca rock art in Peru. A unique feature of Bolivian rock art is that the artistic tradition continued in Colonial and Republican time. Post hispanic manifestations can easily be identified by motifs such as Christian crosses, horse riders, and human figures with Colonial dresses or European utensils. At some sites, Christian crosses were painted or engraved over ancient figures in an attempt by Spanish missionaries "to exorcise whatever spiritual essence was believed to reside in the pagan sites" (R. Bednarik). However, the vast majority of post hispanic rock art was produced by the Indians who incorporated elements of the European culture. Whereas most of the prehispanic art is geometric or highly stylized, later representations are mainly naturalistic. Among drawings in a rock shelter of Yaraque, Oruro, we see dramatic scenes in which a European ship appears, and a fight between two persons, one of whom fires a pistol. At one important site of rock paintings in the Dept. of La Paz, recently studied by Freddy Taboada of the National Museum of Ethnography and Folklore, numerous religious scenes are depicted including pilgrims walking on pathways to churches and folkloric dances. Rock paintings in West Santa Cruz, investigated by Omar Claure and Roy Querejazu Lewis, include prehispanic, Colonial and Republican art all which must be regarded as religious. The last representations, painted in the 19th century, represent saints and are still worshipped in annual feasts. With very few exceptions (historic battle scenes) Bolivian rock art is clearly religious. Even in cases of prehispanic art, local Indians regard these places as sacred and believe that they are inhabited by evil spirits. Superstitious beliefs are sometimes expressed by the names of the sites; for example "Diablopintapinta" in the Dept. of La Paz is "Supay Huasi" (Quechua: "House of the Devil") in the Dept. of Chuquisaca. Roy Querejazu Lewis (1987) proved the existence of modern rites in a cave with ancient paintings which are believed to have been made by the devil. A chewed coca ball was thrown or spat on the wall covering part of a painting. A stone was placed on top of another painting, and a third one is partly covered by mud that was also placed "in a ritual offering". The tourist will not be able to see much of the country's many-faceted rock art. Only three sites have been declared archaeological parks, and they are protected by fences and controlled by guards. SIARB, in collaboration with the Bolivian Institute of Culture, is planning to create two more parks in places with outstanding rock paintings. As vandalism has already affected part of the rock art, Bolivian archaeologists are not in favour of tourists visiting other sites. Calacala, Dept. of Oruro The best known Bolivian paintings are those of Calacala, about 25 km SE of the city of Oruro. The road passes half-way through Sepulturas and then reaches the village of Calacala ("place of many rocks") whose church is visited once a year by numerous pilgrims. The guardian of the archaeological park lives in the village and must accompany tourists to open the gate of the park which is located off the road that leads from Calacala to the ruins of the former brewery (half an hour walk). At first sight an immense steep rock formation is visible at whose foot a small cave and a rock shelter are situated. Though a few engravings exist in the cave (cup-like depressions and a camelid figure), the majority of representations consist of paintings in red, white or black: camelids (most likely llamas), a feline and very stylized human figures. Llamas connected by ropes to shepherds illustrate an important aspect of economic life of the artist. A large white llama (height:60 cm), the favorite sacrificial animal in prehispanic times, dominates the panel. Ceramics found at the site date back to Wankarani culture and to the Inca period. Juan Faldin of the National Institute of Archaeology believes the paintings to have been executed in the time of Wankarani as an expression of a religious cult of the llamas. Copacabana, Dept. of La Paz In front of the village cemetery, to the east of the road leading to Tiquina-La Paz, two fenced-in areas contain a number of carved rocks, testimony to prehispanic activities. The larger recinct is called Intikala (traditional Aymara name for "sun stone"). To its southwest a second enclosure is found, known as Orkojawiry or Ticaticani. Both areas form an archaeological park that is open to visitors and whose attraction are the large rocks with carved steps which have been described as "rock architecture" and are popularly known as "Inca thrones" or "Inca seats"-a very unlikely interpretation considering that several of these monuments exhibit low steps pointing in different directions. Investigators Teresa Gisbert and Roberto Mantilla assume that they were carved in the period of Emperor Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui (1438-1463). Similar carved stones exist in the Cuzco area (kenko). The traditional name "Intikala" points to the use of the site for astronomical observations. In fact, the German archaeologist Hermann Trimborn who studied these rocks in 1960, believes that an Inca astronomer-priest stood on the steps of one of the largest monuments looking east, watching the sun rise behind a mountain crest. Trimborn also observed another indication of ritual activities at the site: a serpent is engraved on top of a large rock, its head represented by a deep basin and its writhing body by a groove leading down. Apparently liquid was shed into the basin and drained off the ground as an offering to the earth goddess. Another monument, popularly known as "Horca del Inca" (Inca gallows), but definitely a place for astronomical observations, may be reached by climbing up the Kesanani (Seroqa) mountain, 600 meters south of Copacabana. Samaipata, Dept. of Santa Cruz A visit to the extensive rock carvings of Samaipata may well be one of the highlights of a trip to Bolivia. The village of Samaipata lies 120 km to the west of Santa Cruz, on the road to Cochabamba. The archaeological site is reached in a walk of one hour starting from the road, about 5 km from the village (km 384). The immense sculptured rock (longitude 200 m. width 60 m.) lies 350 m higher than the road, at an altitude of about 2000 m. All the sides of this crest are carved with terraces, niches, steps or seats, and on the upper surface we find deep-out basins, some of which are connected to channels and reliefs. Oswaldo Rivera Sundt (in his book on Samaipata published with Hugo Boero Rojo by "Amigos del Libro" La Paz 1979) distinguishes five sectors with carvings, beginning with the upper surface from west to east and then describing the north and south sides: Sector 1: Two reliefs representing felines are carved on circular pedestals at the western base of the monument. Sector 2: (to the east): Two large rectangular basins are connected to channels flanked by three parallel rows of carved rhomboid lines extending in a W-E direction. This drainage system, popularly called "the back of the serpent", dominates the crest of the rock in a length of about 30 m. Sector 3: (to the east): On the highest point of the rock there is a circular sculpture with eighteen rectangular or triangular seats that Leo Pucher (an investigator in the 1940s) named "priest choir"). A subterraneous channel unites this structure with a basin in form of a T. Sector 4: (north side): Five large niches in the form of trapezoids are found at the back of a recinct whose lateral sides are formed by two protruding portions of the rock. The German archaeologist Hermann Trimborn observed a long groove above the niches which may have been used to sustain a roof. Rivera Sundt assumes that these niches served for guarding certain religious objects. Sector 5: (south side): numerous niches, terraces, steps, etc. At the foot of the monument there are the walls of several ancient buildings, possibly the dwelling place of priests responsible for the maintenance of the sculptured rock and the performance of rites at the site. Finally to the SE, 500 m distant from the sculptures of the rock, a deep shaft exists ("chicana") whose purpose is unknown. Different theories have been put forward for interpreting the sculptured rock. Some suggest that it was a fortress (the popular name of the monument is "El Fuerte") or a place where gold was washed out. Modern archaeologists agree that more probably it was a center of religious activities where the numerous basins and channels drained rain water and/or other liquids in fertility rites. There can be no doubt that the carvings go back to the Inca period. Chronicles mention that the Incas had a stronghold in this region (which cannot have been the sculptured rock itself) against the rebellious Chiriguano Indians. Among excavated objects on the mountain are small llama figures made of gold and silver "topu" (pins decorating dresses). In the village of Samaipata there is a small archaeological museum.