Prehistoric art in the Cave of the Hands

The paintings in the Cave of the Hands are considered one of the most important artistic expressions of American prehistory, since they are around 9,000 years old and 13,000 years old. For this reason, it is a site protected by the Argentine government and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.

Rock art in South America

In the middle of the lonely Patagonian steppe, in Santa Cruz, Argentina are what are considered the first artistic manifestations of the South American peoples. The site is famous for its impressive collage of more than 800 black, white, red and ocher handprints, painted more than 9,000 years ago, but there are also excellent representations of guanacos, rheas, puma footprints and humans. In addition to living beings, there are also representations of geometric shapes, zigzag patterns, red dots, the sun, and hunting scenes.

Which represent these images?

The main attraction of the Cueva de las Manos are the cave paintings found on the walls of the cave. These hands are the imprint of real human hands, which were stamped on the rock using the blowing technique, using mineral pigments. There are also paintings of scenes related to the hunting of animals such as guanacos, felines and birds. In these paintings you can see figures that reproduce elements related to the daily life of the Tehuelches and their ancestors, ancient hunter-gatherer people.

Protected area

The Cueva de las Manos is located in the Cañadón del Río Pinturas – Deseado River basin – between the towns of Perito Moreno and Bajo Caracoles, and is accessed via national route No. 40. The site is located within a protected area: Cueva de las Manos Provincial Park and to visit it you must pay an entrance fee, which varies in price depending on whether you are local or foreign. Children under 6 years old do not pay. You can get to the site on an organized excursion (which may or may not include the trail through the Rio Pinturas Canyon), or in a vehicle on your own. It is important to know that reservations are not made and access is on a first-come, first-served basis. The hours are extensive from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and guided tours in the Park are every hour.

Learn about the history of the site…

The caves preserve paintings of the Tehuelche Indians and their ancestors, up to 9 thousand years old. Although the cave has been known to Western travelers since the 19th century (the first being the boundary expert Francisco Pascasio Moreno), archaeological investigations began in the 1960s. There is an interpretation center at the entrance to the site where you can learn more about the history and culture of the people who created the paintings, whose museological script was created by specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and Latin American Thought (INAPL). The Cueva de las Manos belongs to a series of American archaeological sites, such as Monte Verde (Chile, Puerto Montt), Pedra Furada (Brazil) and Piedra Museo (Argentina), among others, which are questioning the traditional theory of the late settlement of America. , to support a theory of early settlement (pre-Clovis).

Enjoy the landscape

The Cueva de las Manos is located in a remote and sparsely populated area, surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes such as mountains, rivers and lakes. Take time to enjoy nature while you are there. The canyon of the Pinturas River was produced by the erosive effect of the waters coming from the melting of the Pleistocene glaciers of the Posadas and Pueyrredón lakes, together with the lateral widening due to landslides, falls and detachments of rocks and soil on both banks of the river. generated the landscape that we see today. The final result of this entire process is the canyon with walls about 200 meters high above the course of the river. The trail to the archaeological treasure that demonstrates how the ancient inhabitants of the area lived and what their relationship with nature was like is self-guided and well marked and allows you stunning views.

Flora and fauna of the place

Mammals such as guanacos, pichis, orange chinchillons, foxes, wild cats live in this area. Among the birds we find eaters, eagles, choiques, condors and jotes. Among the reptiles you can see lizards and the matuasto. In total there are more than 70 species.

In the valleys there is a greater proportion of grasses such as coirón and reeds on the banks of rivers and mallines. As we climb in height, the bushes predominate, among which the neneo, the quilimbai, the yaoyín (which you see in the red photo) and the calafate (photo) with edible fruits stand out. These have adapted to the cold, windy and dry climate, adapting their physiognomy (cushions), shrinking their leaves or transforming them into thorns.

FAQs

When should you visit the Cave of the Hands?

From October to the end of April inclusive. How to get to the Cave of the Hands?

BY CAR from Gobernador Gregores (4 and a half hours, 426 km) or from Perito Moreno (116 km).

ON ORGANIZED EXCURSION with guide and transportation included. Both Gobernador Gregores and Perito Moreno, in addition to accommodation, have a restaurant and service station.