Prehistoric Cave Paintings Discovered in Dominican Republic
SANTO DOMINGO – A Dominican man discovered in the northern town of Monteclaro a cave with petroglyphs and other examples of prehistoric cave art, the daily Listin Diario said Tuesday.
The discovery was made by area resident Raul Fernandez.
The cavern has 61 petroglyphs and two bas-relief sculptures, the newspaper learned from Spanish archaeologist Adolfo Lopez, who is in charge of researching the area and believes that the petroglyphs and sculptures could be 5,000 years old.
Lopez, a specialist in cave art at Madrid’s Universidad Complutense, said that one of the Monteclaro sculptures is among the three most important ever found of pre-Columbian cave art, due to its particular shape and because such works are so rarely found, the daily said.
“This sculpture is the last bas-relief of quality to be found in the Antilles. It portrays a figure sitting in a fetal position, which gives the idea that it is dedicated to fertility,” he said.
Lopez christened the cave with the name of “Raul de Monteclaro” in honor of its discoverer and the place where it is located.
The scientist said that the cave could “perfectly well” be declared a World Heritage Site by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Lopez said he hopes that some scientific institution will work in the area in order to discover its cultural values and its antiquity. EFE
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