Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0043/00436.txt

Text File | 1991-06-24 | 12KB | 213 lines

$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 cre