Ice Age Megafauna at La Lindosa?
Some researchers claim to have identified images of long-extinct creatures among the rock art of La Lindosa.
Among the huge range of Amazonian wildlife in the rock art of La Lindosa, some researchers believe there could be images of extinct Ice Age megafauna, including giant ground sloths and ancient ancestors of llamas. Scroll on to view the evidence for this controversial claim.
Archaeological evidence shows that humans have lived and painted at La Lindosa since around the end of the last Ice Age. They lived alongside large mammals here, including mastodons and sabre-toothed tigers, for over a thousand years before these Ice Age megafauna became extinct.
Because of this evidence, some researchers point to similarities between some paintings and extinct species to argue that these images could plausibly depict Ice Age megafauna.
Mastodons
This painting, for which the Mastodontes panel is named, appears to show a Gomphothere, a group of elephantine mammals which included mastodons. Although it lacks tusks, the shape of the animal’s head and its prehensile trunk may be evidence for this identification.
Compare the painted image with this reconstruction by artist Michael Keesey, who has recreated the silhouette from the painting as a more detailed illustration of a Gomphothere.
Though less clear, this image from El Mas Largo panel may also represent a Gomphothere, with elephant-like proportions, a long trunk and domed head. Around the main image, smaller human figures appear in positions suggesting worship or admiration.
Giant sloth
This painting from the Dantas panel seems to show a giant sloth, with a juvenile below it and humans pictured around them. The animal has been identified as a potential giant sloth due to its large head, short snout, thickset body, prominent claws and number of toes.
Megatheriidae artistic reconstruction (2022) by ERC LASTJOURNEY projectUniversity of Exeter
This reconstruction by artist Mike Keesey adds features to the rock art shape, including fur and skin textures, to reconstruct the painting as an image of the extinct giant sloth Eremotherium.
Detail of the Demoledores panel (2021-11-13) by Daniel Fiore, SEARCHUniversity of Exeter
Horse
This image from the Demoledores panel shows a four-legged animal resembling a horse. Some researchers see them as modern European horses, introduced to South America during colonisation. To others, their large heads and thick necks are those of extinct Ice Age horses.
Ice Age horse artistic reconstruction (2022) by ERC LASTJOURNEY projectUniversity of Exeter
This reconstruction shows Hippodion, an extinct South American horse with a slight convex profile from brow to nose, mapped to the silhouette of the painting from La Lindosa.
Camelid, possibly Paleolama (2022) by ERC LASTJOURNEY projectUniversity of Exeter
Camelid
This painting from the Nuevo Tolima panel shows an animal with a small head, long neck, and tail, which resembles a camelid, a group which includes modern llamas and vicunas. It may, alternatively, represent an extinct Ice Age Paleolama.
Paleolama artistic reconstruction (2022) by ERC LASTJOURNEY projectUniversity of Exeter
Artistic reconstruction of a Paleolama. Rock art specialist Fernando Urbina suggests that the camelids at La Lindosa are modern llamas; although llamas are not native to this region, Inca trading caravans may have brought them into contact with Amazonian people.
Until scientists have dated individual paintings, we cannot know how old they are. The art we see today could include restorations or reproductions of older paintings. Either way, some or all of these images may bear witness to the memory of the extinct megafauna of the Amazon.
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