The Discovery of the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Ancients’
By Allegra Tenenbaum
On the northern edge of the Colombian Amazon, at the archaeological site Serranía La Lindosa, an approximately eight-mile-long mural was recently discovered. Researchers believe that this frieze was painted between 12,600 and 11,800 years ago by the earliest inhabitants of the Amazon, at a time it was developing into the tropical forest we know it as today. The mural portrays detailed depictions of extinct creatures and various animals including monkeys, horses, bats, deer and alligators, as well as humans dancing and participating in ceremonies. The prehistoric artists painted the rock walls with ochre, a natural clay pigment.
Marie-Claire Thomas, photograph of Pre-Colombian rock art. Courtesy of The Art Newspaper
Although the paintings were discovered last year, they were not made public until this month. They were revealed on a documentary series titled “Jungle Mystery: Lost Kingdoms of the Amazon,” which debuted on December 5th on Channel 4. Archaeologist and explorer Ella Al-Shamahi, who hosts the programme, described the mural site as being “so new, they haven’t even given it a name yet.” The site has become known by the media as the "Sistine Chapel of the ancients".
Ella Al-Shamahi, photograph of rock paintings being filmed for Channel 4 series. Courtesy of The Guardian
José Iriarte, a co-researcher on the excavation project, explained that the rock paintings provide insight into how the inhabitants farmed, fished and hunted during the Ice Age. The paintings imply that art may have occupied a large part of their culture and served as a way for the community to form bonds. Iriarte also notes how the artists’ depictions of animals and human figures were highly realistic.
Jose Iriarte, photograph of the pre-Colombian rock art. Courtesy of ArtNet News
Both Al-Shamahi and Iriarte take note of the artists’ attention to the placement of the rock murals. Iriarte observes how the prehistoric artists clearly had preservation in mind in their decision to paint on surfaces protected from the rain. In addition, he recognized their choice of working on fine-grained rock faces which was able to achieve a smoother canvas. Al-Shamahi mentions the amazing vertical scale of the paintings and how drones were needed to properly document each surface of the mural.
Iriarte believes there are more paintings yet to be discovered in the area and explains, “we’re just scratching the surface.” Researchers predict that there could be over 100,000 individual paintings across 17 walls.
Bibliography
Boucher, Brian. “Archaeologists Just Discovered Tens of Thousands of Ultra-Realistic Ancient Rock Paintings in the Colombian Amazon,” ArtNet News, November 30, 2020. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/colombian-amazon-ice-age-rock-paintings-1927407.
Boucher, Brian. “More Photos Have Emerged from the Massive Rock Art Discovery in the Amazon, and They’re Amazing—See Them Here,” December 3, 2020. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/more-images-amazon-rock-art-1928138.
Ludel, Wallace. “Eight miles of Ice Age rock art uncovered in Colombian Amazon,” December 2, 2020. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/eight-miles-of-ice-age-rock-art-uncovered-in-colombian-amazon.