New History of Mexico Revealed in Cave Art Find

First there were none and now there are three.

In a region previously thought as an uninhabited region in northern Mexico, scientists have found evidence the area was at various times home to no less than three distinct, pre-Hispanic nomadic peoples, according to a report posted at kpopstarz.com. 

Ancient cave art found in 2006 include nearly 5000 cave paintings made by three separate hunter gatherer groups. The findings were announced last week during a conference in Mexico, according to a report by the Associated Press, which added Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History has been studying the artifacts for the last two years.

The cave paintings were discovered by archaeologists doing research in the San Carlos Mountain Range near the town of Burgos, about 100 miles south of the United States.

"Their importance is that, based on them, we have been able to document the presence of pre-Hispanic groups in Burgos, where before it was believed there was nothing," said Martha Garcia Sanchez, one of the archaeologists studying the paintings.  "In reality, it was inhabited by one or several cultures."

The revelation that the area was indeed populated is considered by many to be the most important discovery at the site, noted Gustavo Ramirez, another anthropologist with the institute of anthropology and history.

However, he said, investigators have so far been unable to locate any other objects within the area of the cave paintings that could help date and provide fuller descriptions of the indigenous civilizations that left the cave art.

The groups that scientists suspect left the 4,926 drawings were the nomadic Guajolotes, Iconoplos and Pintos tribes.

The images appear to depict hunting, fishing, and gathering activities, while other drawings are believed to show religious and astronomical themes which go beyond the group's everyday survival and highlight a spiritual dimension to their lives.

Garcia explained relatively has been known about the indigenous peoples who inhabited the San Carlos Mountain Range, near present-day Burgos, but the cave discovery will no doubt help uncover much more about those groups.