Page 27 - Demo

27Animals that have long since become extinct, such as giant sloths, Ice Age horses, or the palaeolama, (a type of ancient camel), are also depicted. There is even a picture of mastadon, a prehistoric relative of the elephant that has not inhabited South America for the last 12,000 years. The portrayal of these animals suggest that Chiribiquete%u2019s rock art was created at least around this time period (the lastIce Age).The chosen canvas stones were carefully prepared for painting, and protected from sunlight and the effects of rain thanks to the choice of painting site as well as the adaptations made artificially as shelter areas.The drawings are oriented mostly facing the main water courses and coincide with the east-west axis and consist of three main types: murals, panels, and movable rocks. They are all painted mostly in red ochre with minor hints of yellow, white and black ochre. This animal has been identified as a giant ground sloth due to its large head and short snout, thickset body, prominent claws and number of toes.The horses in the rock art have typically large heads and thick necks which are distinguishing features of Ice Age horses which became extinct at the end of the Ice Age. This camelid has a distinctive small head and two tapered ear like protrusions, and elongated neck, short tail and semi robust legs Mastadons are an extinct group of giant elephant like mammals.CHIRIBIQUETE MAMMALS THAT WENT EXTINCT DURING THE ICETHE JAGUAR CULT%u201cTHE SISTINE CHAPEL OF THE AMAZON%u201dOne of the most representative elements of Chiribiquete%u2019s rock art are the multiple allusions to a %u201cjaguar cult%u201d and the jaguar men. Jaguar portrayals are interpreted in scenes of hunting, battles, dances and ceremonies.In the cosmogonic myths of the region, the jaguar is born from the union between Father Sun and his daughter the Moon. Father Sun entrusts him with the task of protecting the balance of the Earth, and is the messenger between men and the divine, a symbol that synthesizes and unites the polarities.