‘Final Expedition’ sheds light on an ancient civilization

For over 12,500 years, one of the largest and most significant collections of prehistoric rock art remained hidden in Colombia’s Amazon rainforest.

The artwork, featuring extinct Ice Age creatures like the mastodon, stout Ice Age horses, and massive sloths, was created by some of the first humans to enter the Amazon.

As nomadic hunter-gatherers journeyed across the planet in search of sustenance, shelter, and land, they encountered the vastness and biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest. The decision of these early humans to settle in the Amazon basin has long puzzled researchers due to its tough environment and seemingly inhospitable terrain.

The remarkable discovery of this rock art took place in 2017 during an expedition dubbed ‘Final Expedition.’ Led by a British-Colombian archaeological team and backed by the European Research Council, this artwork will take years to fully analyze.

Stretching across nearly eight miles of cliff face, these ancient paintings were kept hidden until a documentary aired late last year on the UK’s Channel 4. Due to their remote location, archaeologists had to endure a grueling four-day journey to reach the sites, which include three rock shelters: Cerro Azul, Limoncillos, and Cerro Montoya.

José Iriarte, a professor of archaeology at Exeter University in the UK, spearheaded the expedition to this remote location, accompanied by Colombian and British researchers.

“We began encountering depictions of animals that are now extinct,” said Iriarte in a statement. “The artwork is so realistic and well-executed that it’s hard to mistake it for anything other than a horse. The Ice Age horse has a rugged, heavy face, and the level of detail allows us to even make out the horse's mane. It’s truly fascinating.”

The paintings, found in the Serranía La Lindosa, may not directly explain why early humans chose to settle there, but they offer valuable insights into a mysterious ancient civilization that remains largely unknown to scientists.

“We are in the process of analyzing the images we’ve documented so far,” explained Mark Robinson, a UK-based researcher on the expedition team. “We’re wrapping up a discussion on the potential identification of megafauna and preparing another manuscript exploring perspectivism and the beginnings of Amazonian artistic traditions.”

‘The Sistine Chapel of the Ancients’

Serranía La Lindosa is situated along the Guayabero River, straddling the border between the Meta and Guaviare departments.

Among the images discovered by the team were depictions of fish, lizards, birds, dancing figures, and one individual wearing a bird mask. These findings were initially hailed as 'the Sistine Chapel of the ancients.'

The paintings were uncovered during landscape surveys in 2017, after which the shelters were named. The art features geometric patterns, handprints, and depictions of people interacting with plants, trees, and animals of the savannah. This has led researchers to speculate that the Amazon was not always the dense rainforest we know today.

In addition, the art depicts deer, tapirs, alligators, bats, monkeys, turtles, snakes, and porcupines, as well as images of Ice Age megafauna. While similar creatures are depicted in rock art in Central Brazil, experts believe these representations are far more realistic.

The paintings have been remarkably well-preserved, at least over the last fifty years, partly due to the region being under the control of FARC, Colombia's largest rebel group. For decades, Colombia was engulfed in a civil war, with many areas, including this one, completely inaccessible due to guerrilla occupation.

Many parts of Colombia became accessible after the 2016 peace agreement between FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and the Colombian government.

Despite the peace agreement of 2016, the team had to negotiate with rebel leaders to ensure safe passage during their 2017 expedition.

The placement of some of the reddish-ochre drawings puzzled the team; many were positioned so high on the cliff faces that they could only be captured using drones.

The site, which remains unnamed, is not the first in Colombia to amaze archaeologists with prehistoric artwork. Chiribiquete National Park, the country’s largest protected area, boasts 75,000 paintings depicting hunting scenes, battles, dances, and rituals across 60 rock shelters, with origins dating back to 20,000 BCE.

Where to view ancient rock art today

Dating rock art is notoriously challenging, but the tools used to create the images have been tested to help determine the site's age. Researchers have also identified extinct animals in the artwork, which further aids in the dating process.

Excavations at Serranía La Lindosa, within the deep soil surrounding the shelters, have uncovered one of the earliest known dates for human occupation in the Colombian Amazon.

"For the people of the Amazon, non-human entities like animals and plants possess souls, and they interact with humans through rituals and shamanic practices," Iriarte explained regarding the recent discovery. "These early Amazonian artistic expressions likely mark the origins of this unique relationship."

Returning to the site remains a “distant reality” due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, said Robinson, a professor at the University of Exeter. However, the team is optimistic about returning in 2022.

Robinson hopes to organize an in-person symposium on rock art sites in Colombia next year, similar to an online event hosted by the university this year, though the event will depend on the Covid situation.

While public visits to the Serranía La Lindosa sites are not yet possible, there are other ways to explore Colombia’s rich rock art heritage.

Chiribiquete National Park serves as the entry point to Serranía La Lindosa, where ancient rock art was discovered in 2014.

Visiting this park is no easy feat; the Colombian photographer who first discovered the paintings filmed them from a helicopter. The park is so protected, due to its cultural and historical significance, along with its rich biodiversity, that most areas are off-limits to tourists. However, for those who can afford it, helicopter tours over the park are available from the nearby city of San José del Guaviare, lasting about an hour.

A more accessible and eco-friendly way to explore pre-Colombian culture is to visit Bogotá’s Museo de Oro – the Gold Museum. This two-floor museum houses over 55,000 gold artifacts, many crafted by the indigenous communities of Colombia, some of which are linked to the legendary tale of El Dorado.

Another option in Bogotá is the Museo Nacional – the National Museum – one of the oldest museums in the Americas, showcasing artifacts dating back to 10,000 BC.