Rock Art Discovered in Columbian Jungle: images of rock art that could be 20,000 years old, found in Chiribiquete national park, Colombia.

An online article by Dalya Alberge in The Observer - World's most inaccessible art found in the heart of the Colombian jungle - reports on the recently discovered prehistoric paintings in Columbia.

Photographs: Francisco Forero Bonell/Ecoplanet

The British wildlife film-maker Mike Slee has returned from the jungles of Columbia with extraordinary footage of ancient rock art which has never been filmed or photographed before. Working with photographer Francisco Forero Bonell, the team travelled through the region known as Cerro Campana by helicopter due to the impenetrable terrain.

Located in the Chiribiquete national park, a 12,000 square kilometre Unesco world heritage site that is largely unexplored, the rock art includes images of human figures, jaguar, crocodiles deer, as well as symbols and hand motifs, painted in red on the vertical rock faces. The human figures appear to be hunters and dancers.

The paintings have been analysed by Professor Fernando Urbina, a rock art specialist from the National University of Colombia. He was amazed at the sophistication of the rock art, and believes the paintings may be up to 20,000 years old. One depiction that he particularly focussed on was the human figure in a seated position with arms folded over the shoulders; this is a ritual position in Amazonian cultures, representing the sage of the tribe.

It is thought that the art may have been painted by the Karijona tribe, a few of whose members still live in the region. Jean Clottes, the French prehistorian and author of 'Cave Art', described the images as "exciting and well-preserved, but said it would be hard to determine their age because radiocarbon dating could not be used, as they were painted with mineral-based materials derived from iron oxide rather than the charcoal used in European rock art".

Over the past three years, Slee has been exploring Colombia to make 'Colombia: Wild Magic', soon to be released.

Visit the South America Rock Art Archive:

http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/south_america/index.php