ViaNica.com - Explore Nicaragua online

National archaeologist address the petroglyph art in Nicaragua

Arquimedes Hernández | May 29, 2013

Petroglyph in Villa Sandino. | Photographer: Róger Solórzano Canales

Talks are organized about the expressions in stone motifs created by ancient inhabitants of the country.

The Nicaraguan Institute of Culture (INC) organized a conference to present the iconography of the Nicaraguan petroglyphs. The goal was to raise awareness on the origin, protection and management of this national heritage. The topic was presented by the archaeologist María Lily Calero, from the National Museum of Nicaragua "Dioclesiano Chávez".

Nicaragua is a place with a lot of history and it has places where you can appreciate the art of the early settlers on stones. This is one of the reasons why Calero tries to innovate by giving a different view of what is said about archaeological information. She is especially focus on the artistic vision of the petroglyphs models, to explain what the authors felt and thought during that time.

Is believed that the region of Villa Sandino (Chontales) was a school of petroglyphs. This place, located 194 kilometers from Managua, is one of the places nationwide with about 50 stones in which there are more than 500 motifs currently registered, explained Calero. And it is believed it was a school for this art because researchers have observed a pattern guide, and around this, others in which it is intended to match the main drawing.

It is hard to know exactly what these prints mean, but Calero, for her previous knowledge, has discovered that some of these artistic expressions explain the lifestyle, the flora and fauna that surrounded at that time to the first settlers in Nicaragua.

The lack of knowledge about how to interpret this country's heritage has altered many of these prints, as in the case of Ometepe, which have been repeatedly re-painted with chalk, creating a loss of the original lines, said the expert. Therefore we have initiated projects such as networking of cultural protectors, to ensure the care of these ancient relics.

This kind of archaeological relic are important for the culture and community tourism, because in places like La Gallina, located on the road to Masachapa (Managua), locals offer tours and facilitate their access, Calero said. There are also places like:

Grabado sobre piedra, isla de Ometepe.

Translated by Cynthia Cordero