Explore the Dantas Panel in 3D
Las Dantas is one of the panels of rock art covering the bare rock faces of Cerro Azul. Explore its paintings, including dancing humans and mysterious animals, in this tour.
Las Dantas panel in context (2022) by ERC LASTJOURNEY projectUniversity of Exeter
Ground-level view of the Dantas panel
Las Dantas rock art panel in 3D (2022-08-23) by Pete Kelsey, SEARCHUniversity of Exeter
3D model
Explore this interactive 3D model of the Las Dantas panel. Click, drag, and zoom in and out to discover the details and layout of the paintings.
Tapirs
At the top of the Dantas panel, two lifesize tapirs (Dantas in Spanish) dominate the scene and give the panel its name.
Handprints
Handprints appear frequently painted alone, in pairs, or clustered as in this image. The clustering of handprints around images of animals or human figures, as if to endorse the paintings, is a recurring motif at La Lindosa that is common in other rock art of the Americas.
Humans
Several groups of human figures are shown. Their positions suggest they are dancing or taking part in rituals together.
The way these 'dancers' are painted conveys energy and movement. The images could be read as different movements making up a dance, like images in a flickerbook or frames of a video; alternatively, they may show a shaman in transformation.
Detail of the Las Dantas rock art panel (2021-11-12) by Pete Kelsey, SEARCHUniversity of Exeter
Turtles
Turtles are important in local indigenous culture. Several Amazonian communities perform a dance called the baile de la charapa (turtle dance), which imitates the movement of turtles, to commemorate the dead or to celebrate the birth of a child.
Detail of rock art on the Las Dantas panel (2021-11-12) by Pete Kelsey, SEARCHUniversity of Exeter
Sloth
This animal may be a giant ground sloth (possibly Eremotherium), a species that lived in South America when early humans arrived but became extinct soon after. A smaller animal, perhaps a juvenile, is pictured underneath it.
Humans and jaguars
The spotted animals in this image represent felines, probably jaguars, the largest cats in the Americas. Images of these powerful predators are used throughout the Amazon region to convey strength and vitality.
Detail of rock art on the Las Dantas panel (2021-11-12) by Pete Kelsey, SEARCHUniversity of Exeter
War dog
This four-legged animal with distinctive circular shapes on its head and paws is one of several painted at La Lindosa. Rock art specialist Fernando Urbina believes they may represent war dogs brought to the region by European conquistadors and used to terrorise local people.
Detail of rock art on the Las Dantas panel (2021-11-12) by Pete Kelsey, SEARCHUniversity of Exeter
Circular matrix
Matrix motifs, or circles filled with patterns like this one containing dots and zigzags, are seen frequently on the Dantas panel. Their meaning is unclear, but they resemble the highly-prized intricate basket trays called balai, made by the local Tukano people.
