Rock carvings by El Cementerio
The rock carvings of El Cementerio ( span. Grabados rupestres de El Cementerio ) are petroglyphs on a seven to eight-meter-high cliff in a valley on to Spain belonging Canary Island of La Palma . They come from the island's indigenous people, who lived here until the 15th century, and are among their most important cultural legacies.
The petroglyphs were only discovered in 1982 after further engravings had been found in a nearby location ( rock engravings from La Fajana ) shortly beforehand . Because of their importance, they have been declared a Bien de Interés Cultural .
place
The place is located near the city of El Paso in the Barranco de las Canales valley below a cemetery (span. Cementerio ) from which the petroglyphs got their name. The rock with the engravings is on the right edge of a semicircular hollowed valley step. In the lower area of the rock there are three smaller caves, which were probably only used by the natives due to their size and location. In addition, a small stream ran through the valley, the water of which is now siphoned off for the water supply.
The petroglyphs were carved into the upper part of the rock face at a height of two to four meters. All engravings are attached to a rock wall that is oriented in one direction. Due to the uneven surface structure, the engravings lie on seven large surfaces that are oriented to the south or west. There are no further engravings on the surrounding rock faces or on the surfaces above.
Motifs
All petroglyphs are geometric figures. They are lined up close together and significantly larger than in the rock engravings from La Fajana . The engravings are among the largest on the island. Most noticeable are spirals that have a diameter of up to one meter. Furthermore, circles, meanders and parallel lines can be seen. Some of the engravings were carved into the rock wall with a larger stone, creating notches of different depths and widths. On the other hand, they were scratched with a pointed stone, creating finer lines.
meaning
So far it is unknown what the images are supposed to represent. It is assumed that they served religious purposes, i.e. the worship of the sun, moon or water or certain gods. The engravings may also be related to religious and magical practices, such as fertility rituals or rain magic. The fact that the petroglyphs can only be found sporadically and mostly in the vicinity of caves speaks against the view that the images served as markers for paths or as delimitation of areas.
literature
Felipe Jorge Pais Pais, Francisco José Herrera García: Los grabados de "El Cementerio" (El Paso, La Palma) el renacer de una estación rupestre . In: Revista de estudios generales de la Isla de La Palma . No. 3 , 2007, ISSN 1698-014X , p. 187–220 (Spanish, [1] [accessed January 17, 2018]).
Web links
Coordinates: 28 ° 39 ′ 21.11 " N , 17 ° 52 ′ 56.02" W.