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The Rock Art of Bolivia - South America
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The extent of rock art in Bolivia is slowly unfolding; the ongoing research by
Bolivia's Rock Art Research Society (SIARB - Sociedad de Investigación del Arte Rupestre de Bolivia), founded in 1987 has produced surveys of over a thousand rock art sites. Bolivian rock art comprises a wealth of petroglyphs and rock art paintings in small caves and rock shelters, on vertical cliffs and on large boulders. The rock art is concentrated mainly in the Andean region and in the eastern lowlands, whilst in the northern lowlands (the departments of Pando and Beni ) a few sites are known that consist of engravings, mostly on rocks alongside or near rivers.
According to preliminary investigations carried out by
SIARB, the rock art spans at least several millenia. The earliest rock art, which seems to date back to the Paleo-Indian period, may consist of painted hunting scenes with groups of camelids in lively movement [possibly guanacos] and diminutive human figures, similar to representations found in Peru and Chile . In various sites ancient hand imprints occur, but it is not known whether they belong to the same age as those of the caves of Patagonia [7,000 B.C.]. In many parts of Bolivia, cupules or cup-marks occur, some of which may belong to the earliest rock carvings.
This gallery in the
South American Rock Art Archive features some of the best examples of Bolivian rock art and some of the latest discoveries made.
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Vallegrande
Santa Cruz |
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Vallegrande
Santa Cruz |
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Mataral
Santa Cruz |
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El Buey
Cochabamba |
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Vallegrande
Santa Cruz |
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El Buey
Cochabamba |
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Tecle
Chuquisaca |
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Camargo
Chuquisaca |
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San Juan del Oro
Chuquisaca |
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Palacios
Omereque, Cochabamba |
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Palacios
Omereque, Cochabamba |
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Poopó
Oruro |
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Poopó
Oruro |
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Poopó
Oruro |
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Pultuma
Oruro |
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Pultuma
Oruro |
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Orozas
Tarija |
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Rincón de la Victoria
Tarija |
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San Juan del Oro
Tarija |
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Orozas
Tarija |
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San Juan del Oro
Chuquisaca |
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Orozas
Tarija |
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Huanuyoj
Chuquisaca |
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Sisque Huayko
Chuquisaca |
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San Juan del Oro
Chuquisaca |
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San Juan del Oro
Potosí |
Bradshaw Foundation - South American Rock Art Archive
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