La Cueva de las Pinturas

La Cueva de las Pinturas [Cave of Paintings] is one of the largest and most noteworthy of the five caves in the Cobanarita Cave group and is the only one known to contain polychrome glyphs.

Dr. Brady has found thousands of Sierra Red preclassic sherds, as well as a number of protoclassic sherds throughout the cave. He has also found mammiform supports, covered with a cream covered slip which he believes date from 1OO BC. At present, all the ceramic remains found in the cave appear to be preclassic, although the inscription appears to be later. There is also evidence of ongoing modifications within the cave which include three layers of added clay floors and dry masonry walls built presumably to limit access to sacred areas within the cave.

Text by Tony Oldham (2004). With kind permission.