Rupestre Art - Aboriginal culture in Cuba

"La Solapa de Los Pintores" (something like Screen of The Painters)

CUBA, Pinar del Rio province. Cuban scientists are researching and cataloging human remains and exemplaries of objects belonged to indigenous funerary practices, pictographs and petroglyphs in the Province of Pinar del Rio. Anthropologists are examining human bones and fragments that have a reddish color - wich were found in a hill situated in the town of Minas de Matahambre, northwest of the island.

The president of the Provincial Commission of Speleology - Mr. Carmenate Hilary, explains that these skeletons - pieces of skulls and other bones painted of red - are typical of the natives who inhabited the archipelago millennia ago

According to historian Jorge Freddy Ramirez, the painted bones are considered as a kind of cult of the dead. This practice was part of a magic and religious ritual related to the way of to confront the phenomenon of death, considered by locals as a moment of transition between two stages of existence.

Previous investigations revealed the presence, in the area - of colonial period relics, but the researchers are looking for burial sites associated to communities of the arquipelago of an epoch much more ancient. A research is just beginning. The discoveries made ​​so far will undergo tests to confirm the antiquity of bones, sex, age and perhaps the cause of death of those people.

Initially, the procedure consisted of undertaker bury the body along with offerings and personal belongings of the dead, as tools and ornaments. Later, at the appropriate time, the bones were exhumed and colorful. Then, a second burial was done in a sacred place. The scholar believes that native Cubans believed that life does not end with the death of the body. (An universal belief)

These indigenous were hunters, fishermen and gatherers of natural resources. These primitive men were called Guanahatabeyes. The language that is called Arawak. Other groups from the same area were known like Taino and Ciboney. All of them inhabited a vast territory where they lived at caves, plains and coastal regions

The caves are of particular interest in this research. To care of this aspect, speleologists are performing expeditions in search of pictographs and petroglyphs that remained occult or unknown in caves and rocks have not yet explored. These records may have been produced - both by indigenous of remote times as by slaves and maroons of the colonial period.

Cueva La Iguana

Once found the exemplars will be reproduced and will be subject to a preservation work to spare them from some deterioration, erosion of rains and winds, exposure to the sun, or even by the irresponsible actions of the laity.

Still at the province Pinar del Rio, in a remote place located there 140 km from Havana (Cuba's capital), have been discovered 40 rock art sites, work of indigenous pre-Columbians. In another region, called "La Solapa de Los Pintores" (something like Screen of The Painters), in an another place known as Minas Matahambre, there are magnificent pictorial murals.

"La Cueva del Cura" is also much known. Located in Viñales, there, are various styles overlap suggesting the presence of two races, two cultures: indigenous and maroon. Some of the figures evoke representations of pilots and birds. The grotto of St. Thomas, equally famous, has one of the greatest collections of rock art of Latin America.There, exist curious signs engraved on a wall stone covered by an soot layer.

SOURCES
HERNÁNDEZ PÉREZ. Pedro Luiz and JIMÉNEZ NUÑES, Antonio. Los petroglifos de la Cueva de La Iguana.
EL Explorador, published in 20/04/2007.
Accessed in 06/02/2012 [http://www.geda.pinarte.cult.cu/el_explorador/especial_nunez/el_explorador_especial4.htm]
MIRELES PILAR, Adalys. Develan huellas de cultura aborigen en Cuba.
Cuba Arqueológica/Prensa Latina, published in 03/03/3012
[http://cubaarqueologica.org/index.php?q=node/329]

Atmospheric phenomenon frightens residents of Brazil's hinterlands

BRAZIL, state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Near the city of Vincentina, during one of the many storms that recently fell on Itamarati Settlement Area, residents were startled when, during the night, a strange natural phenomenon occurred. 

A large cloud appeared illuminating the sky. It was red. It was emitting bright sparks, flaming and had unusual shape.

The visual effect is - really, extraordinary. But it is only an electrical phenomenon that occurs well above the earth and can be perceived at night when a storm is on the distant horizon. 

These occurrences are called by various names: red sprites, elves, blue jets, gnomes and pixies.

The red sprites explode in the clouds after emit a powerful electric charge in direction to the earth. The weak flares can spread for miles reaching the atmosphere there about 95 kilometers high.

They use to have tube the format or jellyfish, with thin blue rings under them. At its highest point, they can form lightning-shaped disc called "sprite halos." 

The color red is produced by the ionized nitrogen, the most common gas in the atmosphere. The Sprites can be saw only by milliseconds. Blue jets erupt on top of the core of a storm - the most electrically active region. Cones of narrow are formed and disappear there about 40 km in height

SOURCE: 

Moradores do Assentamento Itamarati se assustam com fenômeno da natureza.

IDEST/Vicentina, published in 04/03/2012

[http://www.idest.com.br/noticia.asp?id=34214]

Discovered - North-american rare coin found in a brazilian collection

BRAZIL, Piaui's state. February, 02 of march. That day, a Friday, the photographer and businessman piauiense (born in the state of Piaui; in this case, also resident at the same state) Irineu Fernandes, examining your coin collection - which features more than 300 pieces, discovered a rare coin, valued at 13 million reais (about seven and a half million dollars).

The exemplar, of which - it is estimated - there are only 13 others worldwide is known as "Double Eagle". One of those "Double Eagle" currently is on display at Golsmith's Hall in London.

The Double Eagles were first minted in 1850. They are made of California gold. In 1907, the coins received a new design. They stopped being produced em 1933, when President Franklin Roosevelt resolved to abolish at the country the "gold standard" - to save the economy during the Great Repression, 1929. Most of the gold coins of the epoch - then - were melted in order to stem the financial crisis.

SOURCE: Piauiense descobre que moeda de sua coleção vale R$ 13 milhões.
180°, published in 04/03/2011
[http://180graus.com/geral/piauiense-
descobre-que-moeda-de-sua-colecao-vale-r-13-milhoes-501964.html]

Discovered - The first volcanic cave in Brazil

IMAGES: PARANAShop [look sources]

BRAZIL, Parana's state. It is a ancient scientific dogma: at Brazil - volcanoes do not exist for a long time, so long that there's no more traces of some of them that can have existed in the past.

But, now - in the nearby the city of Palmital, (state of Parana, southeast region of the country), a cave, the first cave that - in its origin was a volcano - was discovered (in February, 20 of 2012). Called Stone House, the cave was a volcano in an epoch determined in 130 millions of years ago. It is located there more than 800 meters in altitude relative to sea level.

The cave that is mainly - formed by basalt rock was - possibly, a volcanic conduit-type giant, hitherto - unknown in Brazil - explains the scholar of Geography, State University of the Midwest (Unicentro), Ricardo Geovane Calixto, a one of the responsible for scientific discovery.

The cave that is mainly - formed by basalt rock was - possibly, a volcanic conduit-type giant, hitherto - unknown in Brazil - explains the scholar of Geography of the State University of the Midwest (Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste - Unicentro), Ricardo Geovane Calixto, a one of the responsible for scientific discovery.

Geovane, along with the teachers of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - UFSC), Wellington Barbosa de Silva and Eliza do Belém Tratz, made ​​the speleological and geological reconnaissance of the area. They will start exploration in the coming days. For them, a discovery of this type of cave is a the beginning of a study on the origin of the formation of the called - Third Plateau of the Serra Geral (Serra = geological formation, something like Sierra or mountain range).

The volcanic caves, also known the lava tubes are formed during the eruption of volcanoes. After going through the surface - provoking the forming of rivers of lava - the exposure to the cooling in the surface of earth, results in the solidification of the lava,

By this way, appears a crust that will be becoming increasingly thicker, until the formation of a tunnel made of solid lava. To the extent that decreases the flow of liquid rock mass, the tunnel begins to stay with the configuration of a cavity , resulting in volcanic ducts.

The caves originate from geological processes That may involve a combination of chemical transformations, tectonic, biological and atmospheric. Due to the unique environmental conditions of the caves, this ecosystem has Specialized wildlife to live in dark and without vegetation

The owner of the farm where the "Stone House" cave is located, Basilio Burei, has discovered the geological formation - there 60 years ago, during a persecution of wild pigs. Since then proceeded to call the place of the Stone House.

Mr. Burei tells: "Back then you could see traces of fire inside the cave, trees and plants charred too". Basil, will cede the area to research. According to the Municipal Secretariat of Environment and Tourism of Palmital (Secretaria do Meio Ambiente e Turismo de Palmital), Miguel Burei Sobrinho, some photos of the cave were distributed in social networks and - since then, researchers from more than five states have shown interest in know the place.

This discovery represents a mark for the study of geology in the country and the insertion of Palmital's city in the Brazilian map of the geological science of the country, not only for Brazil's scientists but to foreign researchers too, said the secretary. He also informed that the city intends to partner with universities to increase the incentive for research and tourism in the region.

State Representative (deputy) Rasca Rodrigues (PV - Partido Verde, something like Green political party), requested in 2006 - during his tenure as State Secretary of Environment and Water Resources (Secretaria Meio Ambiente e Recursos Hídricos) - an official study of 260 registered caves in Paraná. The study was conducted by the Speleological Research Group of the State.

Still according Mr. Rasca: This is a heritage that must be preserved. This cave is a proof of Palmital that sustains the knowledge that our state has its geological formation consists of volcanic eruption. In the coming days we will go present a project of law to protect the Parana caves (all of them - the caves of the surface and the underground caves. A specialized company will map the region.

The Secretary adds: The study conducted in 2006 showed that many caves located near urban areas have been damaged by the lack of a conservation policy. If all the caves of Paraná were in the hands of people like Mr. Basil Burei, we would not have this preoccupation.

* NOTE OF the EDITOR OF THIS BLOG: The Secretary could have avoided the last observation. This is wrong. The council has - yes - the obligation of to care of this things, and not stay waiting the citizens, that pay taxes, to make the work of authorities of to preserve the historical and geological heritage of the country.

SOURCES:
Descoberta 1ª caverna originária de vulcão do país.
BEM PARANA, published in 02/03/2012
[http://www.bemparana.com.br/index.php?n=207639&t=descoberta-1-caverna-originaria-de-vulcao-do-pais-]
Primeira caverna originária de vulcão do país é descoberta no Paraná.
PARANAShop, published in 02/03/2012
[http://www.paranashop.com.br/colunas/colunas_n.php?id=33387&op=notas]
Translated by Lygia Cabus

New archaeological site discovered at the coast of Brazil

BRAZIL, Sao Paulo's state. At "Ilhabela", (Beautiful Island) - an archipelago and city situated 4 miles off the coast of São Paulo state in Brazil, the coodinator of the Projeto de Gestão e Diagnóstico do Patrimônio Arqueológico de Ilhabela (Project Management and Diagnosis of the Archaeological Heritage of Ilhabela - GEDAI), maintained by the Instituto Histórico, Geográfico e Arqueológico da the Secretaria Municipal de Cultura (History, Geography and Archaeology Institute of the Municipal Culture), the archaeologist Mrs. Cintia Bendazzoli discovered an impotant mortuary archaeological site. The excavation was done on an emergency basis because of the imminent destruction of the material.

The place that was named "Toca da Caveira" (something like Hole of Skull or "Skull Burrow") had human skeletal remains, and funerary accompaniments like clay pot and stone tool, revealing a complex Indigenous funerary ritual. At the same time another two more sites were identified how belonging to the pré-colonizations epoch, but these - still have not been subjected to more detailed research

According Mrs. Bendazolli, the laboratory work performed with the findings revealed that the discover is a collective tomb. There were found remains of at least five different individuals, four adults and a child, this should be about five years of age in the occasion of its death.

None of the skeletons was complete, and according to the research, the absence of many bone units can be resulted of previous interference or violation that can have occurred on the site or - even - something tipical of the funerary ritual practiced by natives.

What caught the attention of the archaeologist was that the collective burial does not appear to be related to the known occupation of the sambaquis indigenous (builders middens or "shell-mountains" builders) - what occurred in Ilhabela occurred around 2000 years ago.

Early research showed that the ritual took place at Skull Burrow was prepared by a potter of the indigenous tribe named Macro-Ge - in more recent times, but before contact with the colonizer.

The presence of ceramic Ge as part of funerary objects placed next to the skeletons, as well the evidences in the bones and teeth indicates that these people was - mainly potters and not fishers and collectors like were the sambaquis. The next step of the investigation will be to conduct carbon-14 dating, which can help elucidate the issues raised by the laboratory studies.

If after the studies if conclude that the founds are, in fact, of a more recent population of potters, this site may be considered a great find, not only for the city, but for the coast of São Paulo as a whole, since it did not exist, until then, evidences that the Macro-Ge indigenous nation, one time, occupied this area of the coast, and were able to practice techniques of navigation and that they arrived to such distances from the coast of São Paulo, says archaeologist.

Anyway, this new archaeological discovery comes to show that the island of Ilhabela was far from a land uninhabited before the conquest of the Portugueses. The large number of archaeological sites recorded by the GEDAI Project and the numerous studies that have following these findings point to an intense settlement of this region and the increasing need to protect this heritage.

SOURCE: Ilhabela: Arqueólogos encontram novo sítio na Ilha dos Búzios com inédita presença indígena
Agora Vale, published in 29/02/2012
[http://www.agoravale.com.br/agoravale/noticias.asp?id=35629&cod=1]

AMAZONAS 🌳🌳🌳 In danger of disappear: The rock engravings of the Madeira River

BRAZIL. At brazilian amazonian, when the level of waters the Madeira River low - in the dry season, is possible to see ancient drawings engraved in stone. The forms reveal geometric shapes or animals. These pictures may have been made for thousands of years by people who lived in the Amazon and of who little is known about their habits and lifestyle.

Photos: Michelle M. Tizuka/Santo Antonio Energia

There are five areas with extensive rock formations where these rock carvings appear. In the rainy season. near the city of Porto Velho (capital of Rondonia' state) the river hide the images. 

 Now, scholars of history, archaelogists and anthropologists are faced a serious problem: with the project of a dam on the river, the hydroelectric power plant of Santo Antonio, this important trace of human presence will be permanently submerged.

Thinking in this problem, the Santo Antonio Energy, responsible for the build of the plant, hired two companies specializing in archeology to preserve the memory these drawings. 

The companies are using 3D technology to scan the prints. The equipment that can record drawings with high precision and quality. In total, more than 2000 images were collected.

After make the digital record, the researchers will reconstruct the rock extensions on virtual models, so that the stones. By this way, the images will be studied in laboratory and associated with occupations of the archaeological sites located on the river region. 

With work, scientists will have conditions understand how these people lived and determine the age of the drawings. Some of them date back over 7000 years, according scholars.

The archaeological rescue is one of the constraints imposed by IBAMA (Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente - Brazilian Institute of Enviroment) for the build of the energy plant and to the begin of the operations. Meanwhile, the works for the preservation the archaeological patrimony is in course.

However, the project has received many critics. Santo Antonio, as well as the Jirau energy plant - also located on the Madeira River, are facing the charge that these kind of iniciative is one more factor that increase the deforestation of the Amazon. 

The government is also criticized for the lack of policies of population control,a problem that will results of the instalation of the new plants that, certainly, will generate serious social questions in the city of Porto Velho. Because, as we know, governments are always late. Let's meditate.

SOURCES

CALIXTO, Bruno. 

Pesquisadores registram gravuras rupestres do Rio Madeira.

Época, published in 29/02/2011
http://colunas.revistaepoca.globo.com/planeta/2012/02/29/pesquisadores-registram-gravuras-rupestres-do-rio-madeira/