08 February 2016 | Los Haitises National Park, Bahìa Samanà, D.R.
Pictographs and Petroglyphs or Just Plain ole Rock Art?
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The Long Lost Art of symbol based forms of writing remain a curiosity to us. What might this mean to you as you look at it right now?
"Triangular shaped Visitors?" I questioned?
"Waving Hello" speculated Dave?
Symbols painted on rocks (Pictographs) or carved into stone (Petroglyphs) might depict scenes that were witnessed by the people of Way Back When, a record of events, perhaps? History in its first forms?
How about this guy?
"He looks a little upset?" Said Dave.
"I don't know about you, but I'd run and hide if I saw something like this coming at me" I whispered back in the hushed confines of the wet, musty smelling Cave.
Was this something the people had seen? Or dreamed about?
The Capt'N and I opted to go kayaking again, my kayak seemingly holding its repair job, and we left Banyan, armed with snacks, water and lathered in sunscreen, first opting to explore the nooks and crannies along the way.
Gliding easily and quietly between little mounds of lands,
and basking in the uniqueness of this magical place.
Slowly the skies hazed over, and the dark masses of grey blue signalled rainfall. We didn't need any pictographs to tell us it was going to pour, so we quickly made our way to empty Ranger Station, and awaited for it all to end.
We planned to visit Cueva de la Arena, the arrows painting the way, but a boatload of tourists showed,
so we opted to head back out and to the Cueva De La Linea, just a little further, instead. As I got back into my kayak, I heard the unmistakeable sound of hissing and thanks to the rain, saw the small air bubbles spitting their way out from under the repair job on my kayak.
"Think we have time to go to the caves..." questioned Dave?
"And back.." I replied with growing alarm, as I envisioned having to swim back to the boat, dragging a deflated kayak, in jelly infested waters.
We decided to keep on going, the hissing and spitting had stopped and we paddled deep into the mangroves.
I captured some photos with my camera but was getting rather frustrated as it was, once again, acting up, refusing to take photos, shutting on and off at will, however I opted instead to focus on the amazing beauty of this place.
and sure enough, when we arrived at the dock, we were the only ones here.
A short walk following the path and we were there, our flashlight illuminating the way,
and explored the dark depths, caverns and mounds of land,
and wondered what its inhabitants way back when were thinking and seeing when sitting here,
and deciding to draw these
on the walls surrounding them.
On our way out, we heard the approaching sound of tourists en masse, and we were thrilled that we had had the time in the cave all to ourselves.
We rowed back, in the hot hazy misty conditions, with nothing but the birds to cast their glance at us, as we made our way home,
the camera not cooperating and the kayak once again hissing and spitting.
I seriously wondered what kind of Gods we had angered, and what kind of Rock Art I could draw that would appropriately depict a few swear words at our gremlins as of late.
This one is clearly saying "Stop, Enough Already!!"
Don't you think?