World Travel GuidesThe World Heritage Sites Homepage Cueva de las Manos, Argentina


  Compare Hotel Room Rates from different Booking Sites   Follow Me on Pinterest 









Cueva de las Manos, or Cave of Hands, is an archaeological site in Argentina famous for its prehistoric cave art. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 23rd session of the World Heritage Committee, which met from 29 November to 4 December, 1999, in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Cueva de las Manos measures 24 meters in depth. The mouth is 15 meters wide. The ceiling of the cave gradually reduces to no more than 2 meters.

What to See in Cueva de las Manos

Cueva de las Manos has a collection of prehistoric cave art, particularly stencilled outlines of hands. Most of the stampings are of the left hand, indicating that the artists may have held a spraying pipe with their right hand. The paint ranges in color from red to white, black and yellow. The size of the hands are similar to a present-day 13-year-old boy, suggesting that it may have been done as part of a rite of manhood.


Cueva de las Manos, Rio Pinturas, Argentina
Cueva de las Manos, Rio Pinturas, Argentina
Author: Mariano (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0)

Cueva de las Manos, Rio Pinturas, Argentina
Cueva de las Manos entrance
Author: Marianoc (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0)

Cueva de las Manos, Rio Pinturas, Argentina
Cueva de las Manos terrain
Author: Marianoc (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0)

There are also cave paintings of animals such as the guanacos, giving an idea of the animals roaming the area during that particular period. In addition, there are patterns on the ceiling of the cave, probably made by dipping their hunting weapons in pigment, and then throwing them to the ceiling.

History

Hunter-gatherers living in the southern Argentine region of Patagonia 13,000 to 9,500 years ago created the cave art seen in Cueva de las Manos.

Location

Cueva de las Manos is located in Río Pinturas, in the Patagonia region of Argentina.

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: S47 9 W70 40
Inscription Year: 1999
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: III

Visiting this Site

Your base for visiting this World Heritage Site is Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. You should find your accommodation in Buenos Aires, and then get your hotel to help you make arrangements for visiting the sights in Argentina. I recommend that you base yourself in Buenos Aires rather than a smaller Argentine city, as you will have more options here. There will be plenty of tour packages to choose from, according to the amount of time you have in your hands.

Here's a comprehensive list of Hotels in Buenos Aires with online booking facilities. Booking is provided by HostelBookers, so there is no booking fee involved.

Getting there

Cueva de las Manos is located inside Francisco P. Moreno National Park, 163 km (101 miles) to the south of Perito Moreno.

Return to Argentina's World Heritage Sites
Return to Argentina Travel & Hotel Guide
Return to World Heritage Sites






  • Tips to become a smart traveler: Useful tips to remember, to get the best out of your travels.
  • Preparing for a Trip: Systematic approach to help you prepare for your trip.
  • How to plan your travel itinerary: Step-by-step build to creating the itinerary for your trip.
  • How to compare hotel room rates: Learn to use a booking search engine to compare rates across all major booking sites.
  • How to pack your luggage: Useful steps to take when packing your luggage.
  • Packing List (PDF): Print out this free packing list to make sure you don't forget anything for your trip.
  • Voltage, Frequency, Plugs & Sockets of the World: Learn about the mains electricity supply in the world.
  • Travelers' List of Plugs and Sockets (PDF): Easy-to-use list of electricity and plugs for all countries.
  • Making International Direct Dail Calls: Learn to make IDD calls from anywhere in the world.
  • IDD Call Prefixes & Country Codes (PDF): Listing of Call Prefixes and Country Codes on one page for you to bring on your trip.
  • Safety Tips When Traveling Alone: Useful advice for when you travel on your own.
  • Guide to Health Matters related to Travel: Comprehensive coverage of different issues related to your health when traveling.
  • Getting Travel Insurance for your trip: Benefits of travel insurance, and advise on when you should signing up for one.
  • Improve your travel photography: Tips to improve your photography skills, especially when traveling.
  • Guide to Traveling Around the World: Useful tips for encircling the globe.


  • Find a hotel







    Follow Me on Pinterest

    Point - Click - Discover!

    Thanks for visiting this webpage. To continue exploring, choose another destination!


    My World Travel Guides - celebrating a beautiful world beautifully.

    Earning a living as a Happy Jobless Guy

    I am a Happy Jobless Guy! I am one of the few people who is fortunate enough to earn an income from my websites that I don't to go out to work. My sites get thousands of visitors every day. It has been a long process, but it is something everybody can achieve, and that means YOU. The following are some articles which you might want to read if you want to do what I do:
    1. Money Making Manual
    2. Create Your Own Money-Printing Machine
    3. Guide for earning a living without holding a job
    4. Generate a Sitemap for your website
    5. Complete Step-by-Step e-Business Building System