Cueva de las Manos, UNESCO World Heritage

“Cueva de las Manos” is an ancient site in southern Argentina, nestled in the vast landscapes of the Andes Mountains. It's an archaeological treasure with incredible rock art, created by hunter-gatherers nearly 9400 years ago. The artwork showcases scenes of collective hunting and features numerous depictions of guanacos (a type of camelid), as well as more than 800 hand stencils spanning different time periods. The site's exceptional preservation and rich historical significance have earned it a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

How do archaeologists and ethnographers collaborate on this project?

The job of an archaeologist is to uncover the physical remnants of the past and interpret them. In this case, we rely on what has been preserved in social memory between past and the present. We can draw historical analogies, using ethnographic data applied to the same region in an archaeological context. Essentially, we are exploring how narratives and ways of life speak to material remains, such as rock art.

To understand the rock art at “Cueva de las Manos”, we look at the accounts of ethnographers and chroniclers who interacted with the Pehuenches, the indigenous people of southern Patagonia during the European contact period. Based on these we propose interpretative approaches around the art depicted of scenes of collective hunting and pregnant guanacos. However, we do not claim that these populations are genetically related to the creators of the rock art in “Cueva de las Manos”. Instead, we suggest that the meaning of the art and the significance of the site may have been passed on and culturally incorporated by later populations. This highlights the role of collective memory in preserving and carrying forward the images and meanings of this ancestral rock art for future generations.

Among chroniclers and ethnographers, it has been observed that Patagonian populations, who have always been hunter-gatherers, used a cord made of guanaco wool as a headband for transporting arrow shafts or as intermediaries for darts thrown with a spear-thrower. The presence of this same cord in the pictures of the cave shows that this practice has been in place for the past 9000 years. Additionally, the rock art depicts a larger figure in a hierarchical position, wearing a fur cloak similar to those used by Pehuenches in historical times.

Moreover, there are paintings of pregnant female guanacos along with a big white circular shape, which could represent the Moon. This connection relates to a Pehuenche myth called "The Daughter of the Sun," in which the Moon is depicted as a powerful witch who possesses male guanacos and ñandús. As a result, women from that culture would sing songs dedicated to the moon-woman and held her in high esteem. This link between the paintings, historical accounts, and myths implies a connection to prayers or requests for the fertility and reproduction of guanacos to ensure successful hunting.

How all of this happens?

In “Cueva de las Manos” there are many ancient drawings on the cave walls that were made between 9400 and 2500 years ago. We have chosen two main themes to study: hunting scenes and pictures of pregnant guanacos. Using historical analogy we take the information from studying the lives of people in the past (ethnographic data) to help us understand what happened in the same region in ancient times. It is like comparing similar actions or ways of life that happened at different times.

In this sense, collective memory refers to those memories and knowledge that a group of people share about their ancestors and everything that has happened in the past. It's about keeping those connections alive and valuing what has been passed down through the generations. Different to that is the social memory, which is more about being aware of the relationships that our ancestors had with other social groups in the past. It is like remembering and acknowledging the interactions and connections between different communities that happened a long time ago.

Conclusion

So, what do those ancient pictures contribute to the shared memories of the hunter-gatherers who made them 9000 years ago? And what does the comparison to historical events open up for our goal of understanding the lives of the people who created that rock art?

Basically, we have a working idea that those rituals, happening when female guanacos give birth, were like markers that guided their activities and movements throughout the year, from the mountains to the steppe and back. It suggests there might have been yearly cycles connected to these rituals.

So, here's the question: Why would not we be able to use ethnographic information in archaeology? Maybe it's a matter of how much we can rely on the sources and the specific details of the social and historical context tied to certain objects or places. This shows us how collective memory plays a powerful role in shaping social realities, challenging the idea that the past and present are completely separate. In our case, we have a good reason to bridge the gap of time by connecting the ethnographic data with the archaeological evidence. And that seems to be true for Cueva de las Manos.

Written by Lucia Ana Gaviola
Aarhus University

Original article: Schneier, P.; Ponce, A. & Aschero, C. “Arte rupestre, etnografía y memoria colectiva: el caso de Cueva de las Manos, Patagonia Argentina”. Revista uruguaya antropología etnografía, ISSN 2393-6886, 2021, Año VI – Nº 1:71–85. DOI: 10.29112/RUAE.v6 ºn1.4

Avaiable in: Scielo Uruguay http://www.scielo.edu.uy/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2393-68862021000100071

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.