News Archaeology

These South American cave paintings reveal a surprisingly old tradition

Patagonia cave figures may have helped transmit cultural knowledge starting about 8,200 years ago

A cave wall in Patagonia is covered with pictures of several large figures and shapes made with some kind of red drawing material. Some art in this cave dates back to as early as 8,200 years ago.

A cave in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina, contains 895 painted designs (some shown). Researchers have dated three examples of this cave art to between around 8,200 and 5,100 years ago.

Guadalupe Romero Villanueva

By Bruce Bower

Near the southernmost tip of South America, people may have started cave painting nearly 8,200 years ago, several millennia earlier than previously suggested by ancient rock art in that area.