Cueva de las Manos

Cueva de las Manos, or “Cave of the Hands,” is an archaeological site in Santa Cruz province in southern Argentina. UNESCO describes the site in the Río Pinturas area and explains that its name comes from the stencilled outlines of human hands on the rock surfaces.

The site’s art is not limited to hand stencils. UNESCO identifies depictions of animals, including guanacos (Lama guanicoe), and hunting scenes. Encyclopaedia Britannica also describes a varied painted repertoire, including animal and geometric motifs. UNESCO dates the assemblage to about 13,000–9,500 years ago; these dates describe the range of the rock-art assemblage, not a single moment of creation.

UNESCO inscribed Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas, on the World Heritage List in 1999. The site is recognized for its exceptional prehistoric rock art and the evidence it provides about early human communities in southern South America. Interpretations of the paintings’ precise purposes remain uncertain, so they should not be presented as settled fact.