Rock Art of Cuba

Even though petroglyphs sites are located through out Cuba, 192 sites altogether, most are concentrated in the eastern region in the provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin, Santo de Cuba, and Granma (Hayward, Atkinson, and Cinquino 26). A large portion of Cuban rock art sites are located in caves or cave like settings. According to Ramón Dacal Moure and Manuel Rivero de la Calle, a notable portion of Cuban rock art consists of carvings on stalagmites and stalactites. The artists often used simple strokes to create human faces, to which the shape of the rock gave a three dimensional aspect (45).



In a cave called La Patana, in southeastern Cuba, there is an illustration representing the origin of the Arawaks, who are said to have come from the cave. The artist or artists carved a human figure onto a stalagmite that hangs over the entrance. On the side cave walls, incised anthropomorphic images appear to march out of the cave into the world, representing the arrival of the Arawaks.

As noted by Hayward, Atkinson, and Cinquino, the petroglyph and pictograph images not only functioned as narrative, anecdotal, or magical scenes, but would have reinforced proper social conduct, as well as solicited aid in performing daily tasks(32).



While the majority of rock art in Cuba consists of petroglyphs, the Cueva de Mural is known for it pictographs executed exclusively in red, which sets this site apart from many other rock art sites throughout the Caribbean (Hayward, Atkinson, and Cinquino 33).